Anthracyclines remain an integral part of chemotherapy regimens in many adult and pediatric cancers but cause myocardial damage that may manifest as either subclinical decrements of left ventricular ejection function or overt cardiomyopathy. Anthracycline-related cardiotoxicity is doselimiting, and the risks of congestive heart failure increase with higher cumulative doses, particularly above 5...

The anthracycline antibiotics doxorubicin (Adriamycin; DOX) and daunorubicin (DNR) continue to be essential components of first-line chemotherapy in the treatment of a variety of solid and hematopoietic tumors. The overall efficacies of DOX and DNR are, however, impeded by serious dose-limiting toxicities, including cardiotoxicity, and the selection of multiple mechanisms of cellular drug resis...

A nthracyclines are highly effective in the treatment of childhood malignancies, but are potentially cardiotoxic at all dose ranges. Early studies suggested that as many as 65% of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) survivors have subclinical abnormalities of left ventricular (LV) systolic function at medium term follow up. More recent reports have shown that the prevalence of cardiac abnormali...

In this issue, Gupta et al describe a novel mechanism, mediated through alterations in the RNA-binding protein QKI (Quaking), responsible for anthracycline-mediated cardiotoxicity. Performing global transcriptional profiling in murine hearts exposed to doxorubicin, they identified 5 differentially expressed RNA-binding proteins: 4 of which were upregulated and 1 QKI which was downregulated. QKI...

Anthracycline-based cardiotoxicity is concerning for women with breast cancer and portends a dose-dependent risk of developing left ventricular dysfunction. Overall, the prevalence of heart failure (HF) is ≈2% of the total US population; however, BRCA-deficient mice have shown increased HF. We evaluated for the inherent risk of HF in women with BRCA mutations to determine whether treatment with...

Anthracyclines (such as doxorubicin or daunorubicin) are among the most effective anticancer drugs, but their usefulness is hampered by the risk of irreversible cardiotoxicity. Dexrazoxane (ICRF-187) is the only clinically approved cardioprotective agent against anthracycline cardiotoxicity. Its activity has traditionally been attributed to the iron-chelating effects of its metabolite with subs...

Cardiotoxicity is a well-known consequence of anthracycline chemotherapy. We report CMR findings not previously described in two patients with anthracycline cardiotoxicity following treatment for Ewing's sarcoma. Subendocardial enhancement on late gadolinium contrast-enhanced CMR was present in both cases, with histological correlation in one case.

The application of anthracyclines in anticancer therapy may result in accidental extravasation injury and can be a serious complication of their use. Tissue necrosis with skin ulceration is a possible outcome in the inadvertent extravasation of anthracyclines during intravenous administration. Until recently, there has been no effective treatment against the devastating effect of extravasated a...