Experimental Oncology, 2009, № 2

Assessment of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity with electrocardiography

2018-06-17T00:08:51Z

Assessment of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity with electrocardiography Horacek, J.M.; Jakl, M.; Horackova, J.; Pudil, R.; Jebavy, L.; Maly, J. Aim: Monitoring of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity with electrocardiography (ECG) and comparing ECG changes with findings on echocardiography (ECHO). Methods: A total of 26 adult acute leukemia patients (mean age 46.2 ± 12.4 years, 15 males) treated with 2–6 cycles of anthracycline-based chemotherapy (CT) were studied. Cardiac evaluation was performed at the baseline (before CT), after first CT, after last CT (cumulative anthracycline dose 464.3 ± 117.5 mg/m2 ) and circa 6 months after CT. Time ECG parameters, QRS voltage, presence of repolarization changes, arrhythmias and other abnormalities were evaluated. Results: During treatment and follow-up, we found a statistical significant QTc interval prolongation — 414.7 ± 16.0 ms (before CT), 419.6 ± 21.6 ms(after first CT), 428.0 ± 16.2 ms(after last CT) and 430.1 ± 18.4 ms(6 months after CT). Significant QTc interval prolongation (> 450 ms) occurred in 3 patients after first CT, in 4 patients after last CT and in 5 patients within 6 months after CT. Significant total QRS voltage lowering in the limb leads (> 1.0 mV versus before CT) occurred in 3 patients after first CT, in 5 patients after last CT and in 6 patients within 6 months after CT. We found a statistically significant correlation between decreased QRS voltage, QTc interval prolongation and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction on ECHO. Repolarization changes associated with oncology treatment were present in 9 patients within 6 months after CT. Conclusion: Anthracycline treatment is associated with changes in electrical activity of the myocardium. Prolonged QTc interval represents a risk for development of malignant ventricular arrhythmias. Decreased QRS voltage and prolonged QTc interval after anthracycline treatment could correlate with LV dysfunction on ECHO. Further studies will be needed to prove whether these ECG changes could serve as an accessible and non-invasive screening method indicating LV dysfunction after anthracycline treatment.

Expression of galectin-1 in malignant tumors

2018-06-16T00:07:33Z

Expression of galectin-1 in malignant tumors Demydenko, D.; Berest, I. Galectin-1 is a 14 kDa lectin expressed ubiquitously in mammalian organism. Since its discovery, the lectin was shown to participate in many cellular processes. Involvement in some of them like induction of apoptosis of activated T cells, mediation of cell adhesion and participation in angiogenesis suggest that galectin-1 could be utilized by malignant tumors. Indeed expression of galectin-1 is upregulated in tumors of different origin. Many examples point to its important role in a process of cancer metastasis. This review summarizes the data available to date on galectin-1 expression in human malignancies.

Expression of drug resistance proteins in triple-receptor-negative tumors as the basis of individualized therapy of the breast cancer patients

2018-06-16T00:11:16Z

Expression of drug resistance proteins in triple-receptor-negative tumors as the basis of individualized therapy of the breast cancer patients Chekhun, V.F.; Zhylchuk, V.E.; Lukyanova, N.Yu.; Vorontsova, A.L.; Kudryavets, Yu.I. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy ofthe application of various chemotherapy schemes based on the immunohistochemical study of expression patterns of proteins associated with the drug resistance P-glycoprotein (P-gp), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), metallothioneins (МТ) of breast cancer (BC) patients with the triple-receptor-negative (RE–, RP–, HER-2/neu–) cancer. Methods and Results: P-gp, GST and МТ expression in BC-biopsy samples from 60 BC patients was evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis. The results of the clinical observations showed that 3-years relapse-free survival rate of the patients of with P-gp, GST and МТ-positive tumors treated with taxoter + adriablastin / taxoter + cyclophosphamide (ТА/ТС), gemcitabine + carboplatin, or TC + bevacizumab was 61.5%, 78.6% and 81.2% respectively, vs 41.2% in the control group with P-gp, GST and МТ-negative tumors treated with adriablastin + cyclophosphamide (p < 0.05), while overall survival rates were 84.4%, 92.6% and 93.8% respectively vs 70.6% in the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The study points on the possibility to elevate the efficiency of polychemotherapy by its individualization based on the expression patterns of Р-gp, GST and MT on tumor cells of the patients with the triple-receptor-negative BC.

Cardiovascular changes associated with infusion of hematopoietic cell grafts in oncohematological patients — impact of cryopreservation with dimethylsulfoxide

2018-06-16T00:11:09Z

Cardiovascular changes associated with infusion of hematopoietic cell grafts in oncohematological patients — impact of cryopreservation with dimethylsulfoxide Horacek, J.M.; Jebavy, L.; Jakl, M.; Zak, P.; Mericka, P.; Maly, J. Aim: Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is the most frequently used agent for hematopoietic cell (HC) graft cryopreservation. This study aimed to monitor blood pressure and heart rate (HR) during HC graft infusion and assess the impact of cryopreservation with DMSO. Methods: 153 HC graft infusions in 153 consecutive hematological patients (mean age 49.1 ± 12.6 years; 80 males) were evaluated. Cryopreservation with DMSO was used in 133 grafts (DMSO group). Twenty grafts were infused directly without cryopreservation (control group). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and HR were measured immediately before and after HC graft infusion. Results: SBP and DBP increased significantly after graft infusions cryopreserved with DMSO (p < 0.0001 for SBP; p < 0.01 for DBP). Increases (> 10 mmHg) in SBP were seen in 42 (31.6%) patients; in DBP in 31 (23.3%) patients. Changes in HR were non-significant in DMSO group. Increases in BP and HR correlated with increasing DMSO dose (p < 0.01; p < 0.05, respectively). Changes in SBP, DBP and HR were non-significant in control group. Conclusion: HC graft infusions cryopreserved with DMSO could cause statistically significant increases in SBP and DBP, without changes in HR. These changes were mostly transient and asymptomatic, not requiring therapeutic intervention. However, they might cause complications, especially in patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease, who should be monitored closely during HC transplantation.