Late cardiotoxicity of high-dose chemotherapy according to the modified NHL-BFM-90 program in adult patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

AIM To evaluate the late cardiotoxicity (CT) of high-dose chemotherapy (CT) according to the modified NHL-BFM-90 (mNHL-BFM-90) protocol in adult patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). SUBJECTS AND METHODS The results of electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (echoCG) were analyzed in 40 DLBCL patients treated according to the mNHL-BFM-90 program in the Hematology Research Center (HRC), Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (RAMS), in 2002 to 2009. A study group consisted of 20 men and 20 women whose age was 31 to 76 years; median age was 56.5 years at the time of their examination and the median follow-up time after therapy was 6 years. The individual cumulative dose of doxorubicin was 150-300 mg/M2. A comparison group included 19 patients receiving CHOP/R-CHOP CT in HRC, RAMS, in 2002 to 2009. Out of them, there were 8 men and 11 women whose age was 39 to 78 years median age was 70 years at the time of their examination. The individual cumulative dose of doxorubicin was 200-400 mg/M2. ECG and echoCG were carried out before and 5 years or more after CT. RESULTS Out of the 40 patients with DLBCL, the signs of subclinical cardiomyopathy (CMP) were detected in 24 (60%) patients; no clinical manifestations of congestive heart failure (CHF) were found in any patient. In the comparison group of 19 patients receiving CHOP/R-CHOP CT, 14 (74%) patients were found to have signs of subclinical CMP and no clinical signs of CHF. The summary toxicity index significantly depended on age (p=0.03) and a history of heart disease (p=0.3); it was significantly higher after CHOP/R-CHOP CT (p=0.05). There was a statistically significant relationship of the risk of subclinical CMP to the history of heart diseases (p=0.05). CONCLUSION Late cardiotoxicity of the mNHL-BFM-90 program does not exceed the toxicity of standard CHOP/R-CHOP therapy. Post-CT Echo-CG and ECG findings showed that the patients with the most marked subclinical signs of CMP in both groups had cardiotoxicity risk factors, such as coronary heart disease, hypertensive disease, or diabetes in their history. No clinically significant CHF was identified in any patient.