Management of Advanced Heart Failure in Children with Cancer Therapy-Related Cardiac Dysfunction

Abstract

The evolution of cancer therapies has led to marked improvement in survival of those affected by childhood malignancies, while also increasing the recognition of early and late toxicities associated with cancer therapies. Cardiotoxicity can include cardiomyopathy/heart failure, coronary artery disease, stroke, pericardial disease, arrhythmias, and valvular and vascular dysfunction as a result of exposure to chemotherapy and/or radiation. Anthracyclines remain the most common cause of chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy (CCM) with varying clinical presentations including: acute, early onset, and late-onset. Many individuals develop cardiac dysfunction over the long-term, ranging from subclinical cardiac dysfunction to end-stage symptomatic heart failure. The focus of this review is on characterization of symptomatic heart failure in children with cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) primarily due to CCM and utilization of advanced heart failure therapies, including ventricular assist device (VAD) support and heart transplantation, with consideration of unique patient-related factors.

Cardiomyopathies in Children: Genetics, Pathomechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies

“…Especially anthracyclines, which often are used to treat tumors in children as well as in adults, have been linked to the development of heart failure, DCM, or RCM [83]. The onset of cardiomyopathy in cancer patients varies largely; it may develop within a week or less than one year after starting the treatment, depending on various risk factors (e.g., sex, age, dosage, and subtype of the agent) [84].…”