Late consequences of chemotherapy on left ventricular function in women with breast cancer.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death among breast cancer survivors. Several chemotherapy drugs may cause cardiovascular toxicity. Our study aimed to assess the late effects of chemotherapy on left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function in a group of female breast cancer survivors. Methods: Our study was a case-control study consisted of 60 breast cancer survivors who had undergone chemotherapy for more than 5 years and a control group of 49 women without breast cancer. All patients underwent echocardiography and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), global longitudinal strain (GLS), pulse-Doppler early transmitral peak flow velocity (E wave), early diastolic (e'), and left atrial (LA) diameter were calculated. Logistic regression analysis showed among the different cardiovascular risk factors, chemotherapy had an association with decreasing LVEF. Conclusion: Breast cancer survivors might have an excess risk of having subclinical LV dysfunction over time. These findings present the potential benefits of echocardiographic assessment in breast cancer survivors.