The Use of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Cancer Patients with Heart Failure

OBJECTIVES: Investigate the use of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in cancer patients with heart failure (HF); assess factors associated with ischemic and non-ischemic HF. BACKGROUND: Many newer cancer therapies are cardiotoxic; thus, the incidence of HF has been increasing in this high-risk patient population. CRT has beneficial effects on morbidity, mortality, and left ventricular function in patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, yet cancer patients and survivors who develop severe HF and are eligible for CRT often do not receive it. METHODS: Review of 2 years of echocardiography and electrocardiography data from cancer patients. RESULTS: Of 272 patients meeting inclusion criteria for CRT placement (LVEF ≤35%, QRS duration ≥120 ms), 131 (48.2%) had HF with ischemic etiology and 141 (51.8%) had HF with non-ischemic etiology. Most patients had solid tumors, including breast, lung, sarcoma, and lymphoma (73.2%, n=199). Only 21.3% (58/272; 27 ischemic; 31 non-ischemic) underwent CRT placement, who were mostly women and those with solid tumors. Non-ischemic HF was significantly associated with younger age (<65 years) (OR=0.91; 95% CI=0.87-0.95) and female sex (OR=2.5; 95% CI=1.1-6.0). As expected, ischemic HF was significantly associated with history of myocardial infarction, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: CRT is underutilized in cancer patients with HF. Most of the cancer patients who did not receive CRT had non-ischemic HF secondary to chemotherapy. CRT may be less utilized in those patients due to shortened life expectancy, yet evidence suggests that CRT has beneficial effects on morbidity, mortality, and left ventricular function. Its use may improve patient quality of life and allow oncologists to continue cancer treatments that could prolong survival.