2D-echocardiography vs cardiac MRI strain: a prospective cohort study in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer undergoing trastuzumab.

Background: We aimed to study the predictive value of early two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) speckle tracking (ST) for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) changes during trastuzumab treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer.

Methods: HER2-positive breast cancer patients receiving trastuzumab, with or without anthracycline, underwent 2DE-ST at baseline and after 3 and 6 months (m) trastuzumab. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging (with ST) was performed at baseline and 6 m.

ONCOR: design of the Dutch cardio-oncology registry.

Background: The relative new subspecialty 'cardio-oncology' was established to meet the growing demand for an interdisciplinary approach to the management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular adverse events. In recent years, specialised cardio-oncology services have been implemented worldwide, which all strive to improve the cardiovascular health of cancer patients. However, limited data are currently available on the outcomes and experiences of these specialised services, and optimal strategies for cardio-oncological care have not been established.

Cardiac monitoring in HER2-positive patients on trastuzumab treatment: A review and implications for clinical practice.

Trastuzumab prolongs progression-free and overall survival in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive breast cancer. However, trastuzumab treatment is hampered by cardiotoxicity, defined as a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decline with a reported incidence ranging from 3 to 27% depending on variable factors. Early identification of patients at increased risk of trastuzumab-induced myocardial damage is of great importance to prevent deterioration to irreversible cardiotoxicity.

NT-proBNP correlates with LVEF decline in HER2-positive breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab.

Background: Early identification of cardiac dysfunction by non-invasive imaging in HER2-positive breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab is challenging. In particular multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan, which is most widely used, is unable to detect subclinical cardiac changes. The use of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a serum biomarker of myocardial stress, might improve timely diagnosis.