Early increase of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin predicts mortality in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Abstract

Abstract Introduction High-sensitivity cardiac troponin test (hs-TnT) reveals subclinical myocardial damage in many cardiac conditions. We hypothesized that elevated hs-TnT may predict a development of cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction and clinical outcomes linked with antineoplastic therapies. We aimed to evaluate the predictive value of hs-TnT for all-cause mortality in a group of patients (pts) with recent diagnosis of cancer. Material and methods We included 80 pts (mean age 57±13 years; 98% women) with recently diagnosed cancer (78 breast cancer, 1 colon cancer, 1 DLBCL lymphoma). Transthoracic echocardiography and hs-TnT tests were performed at baseline and after 3, 6 and 12-months. Pts with LVEF <50% and significant valvular disease were excluded. Results In the study group 44% pts had arterial hypertension, 54% dyslipidemia, 9% diabetes mellitus; 94% pts were treated with anthracyclines, 30% with trastuzumab, 54% with hormone therapy, 71% with radiotherapy. A significant decrease of LVEF were observed during follow-up (LVEF at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months: 61.7±2.0%; 60.9±2.0%*; 60.8±2.9%*; 59.9±2.9%*; *p<0.05 vs baseline). A significant reduction of global longitudinal strain was found only at 6-month follow-up (−19,2±2,2% vs −18,6±2,0%; p=0,003). In 38 pts at least a twofold (fourfold in37) increase in hs-TnT >99th percentile was observed. A rise of hs-TnT was most often seen at 3 month (n=35; 43,8%). During median 1056 (221–1906) days off follow-up 18 (24%) pts died and ROC curve analysis revealed that early (0–3 months) hs-TnT increase more than 10 pg/ml [AUC=0,693 (0,545–0,806); p=0,017)] represented a predictor of death [OR=3,4 (1,99–11,87)]. Conclusions Increase in hs-TnT in cancer patients detected at 3rd month of chemotherapy predicts mortality. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Figure 1