Open AccessDexrazoxane as a Cardioprotectant in Children Receiving Anthracyclines
Author(s) -
Sepe Dana M.,
Ginsberg Jill P.,
Balis Frank M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the oncologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.176
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1549-490X
pISSN - 1083-7159
DOI - 10.1634/theoncologist.2010-0162
Subject(s) - dexrazoxane , medicine , cardiotoxicity , anthracycline , adverse effect , doxorubicin , clinical trial , oncology , pharmacology , cancer , intensive care medicine , chemotherapy , breast cancer
Learning Objectives After completing this course, the reader will be able to: Identify children who may be at relatively higher risk of developing cardiotoxicity as a result of treatment with anthracyclines. Cite considerations for administering dexrazoxane prior to anthracycline treatment to mitigate anthracycline‐related cardiotoxicity in children.This article is available for continuing medical education credit at CME.TheOncologist.com . Anthracyclines play a critical role in the treatment of a variety of childhood cancers. However, the cumulative cardiotoxic effects of anthracyclines limit the use of these agents in many treatment regimens. Dexrazoxane is a cardioprotectant that significantly reduces the incidence of adverse cardiac events in women with advanced breast cancer treated with doxorubicin‐containing regimens. Clinical evidence for the efficacy of dexrazoxane as a cardioprotectant in children, especially from randomized clinical trials, is limited, but the available data support a short‐term cardioprotective effect. Long‐term follow‐up in children treated with dexrazoxane has not been reported. Dexrazoxane's impact on the antitumor effect and toxicity profile of the anthracyclines and the role of dexrazoxane in the development of secondary malignant neoplasms in patients who received dexrazoxane are reviewed. Based on the available data, dexrazoxane appears to be a safe and effective cardioprotectant in children, and it does not appear to alter overall survival times in children with cancer. Continued follow‐up from previous trials is needed to determine the long‐term effect of dexrazoxane on cardiac outcomes and quality of life.