Evaluating the Utility of Baseline Cardiac Function Screening in Early-Stage Breast Cancer Treatment

Conclusion. Baseline ECHO/RVG in patients without prior cardiac history rarely yields an abnormality that prompts change in planned anthracycline- and/or trastuzumab-based treatment. Moreover, few cardiac events developed in this screened population in follow-up. Implications for Practice: Baseline cardiac function screening with echocardiograms or radionuclide ventriculograms is frequently performed before administration of anthracycline- or trastuzumab-based chemotherapy in breast cancer patients due to the relatively low cost and risk to patients and the concern for potential cardiotoxicity. However, at a population level, these tests can take up time and can add up to significant costs for both patients and the health care system. This study finds that in patients with no history of cardiac disease, baseline cardiac function screening rarely identifies abnormalities that change treatment plans. Moreover, few cardiac events develop in an average of 4 years of follow-up, including none in patients with abnormal baseline cardiac function screening results. This suggests that baseline cardiac function screening may have limited utility in chemotherapy planning in young breast cancer patients with no history of cardiac disease.
Source: The Oncologist - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Breast Cancer Source Type: research