Two-dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography in Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Females with Breast Cancer

Background Cancer and cardiovascular diseases are the main causes of mortality worldwide. Although the incidence of cancer is rising, modern comprehensive management including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy led to decreased mortality, but also different cardiovascular complications. Conventional EF measurement fails to detect subtle changes in LV function, so a more sensitive tool is needed. Methods The study included 101 asymptomatic female patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer who received anthracycline ± trastuzumab-based chemotherapy regimen. A comprehensive echocardiographic examination was performed before receiving the chemotherapy (T0), at 3 months (T1), and at 6 months after (T2). All patients had pre-treatment normal LV EF. Cardiotoxicity was defined as a decrease in EF > 10% from baseline value to EF < 55% in asymptomatic patients or > 5% in symptomatic patients “according to the cardiac review and evaluation committee (CREC)”. Results CTRCD occurred in 24 patients (25.5%) while RV systolic dysfunction was more common occurring in 37 patients (39.4%). LV GLS at (T1) (cut-off value <-15% with relative 12.5% reduction from the baseline value) was a strong predictor of CTRCD, but combining LV GLS with RV GLS & RV FWLS was the strongest (AUC = 0.947, sensitivity = 91.67%, specificity = 90%). Conclusion Chemotherapy induces biventricular changes with more prevalent deterioration in RV values. Low LV & RV strain values at baseline together with reduction of these values after chemotherapy treatment can predict later CTRCD development. Combining LV GLS with RV GLS & FWLS values at (T1) is the strongest predictor of subsequent CTRCD.