Incidence of chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction in cancer patients

Abstract

Background: Cancer patients are increasingly affected by chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction. The reported incidence of this condition vary significantly across different studies.

Hypothesis: A better comprehensive understanding of chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction incidence in cancer patients is imperative. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to establish the overall incidence of chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction in cancer patients.

Methods: We searched articles in PubMed and EMBASE from database inception to May 1, 2023. Studies that reported the incidence of chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction in cancer patients were included.

Results: A total of 53 studies involving 35 651 individuals were finally included in the meta-analysis. The overall pooled incidence of chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction in cancer patients was 63.21 per 1000 person-years (95% CI: 57.28-69.14). The chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction incidence increased steeply within half a year of cancer chemotherapy. Also, the trend of chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction incidence appeared to have plateaued after a longer duration of follow-up. In addition, chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction incidence rates are significantly higher among patients with age ≥50 years versus patients with age <50 years (99.96 vs. 34.48 per 1000 person-years). The incidence rate of cardiac dysfunction was higher among breast cancer patients (72.97 per 1000 person-years), leukemia patients (65.21 per 1000 person-years), and lymphoma patients (55.43 per 1000 person-years).

Conclusion: Our meta-analysis unveiled a definitive overall incidence rate of chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction in cancer patients. In addition, it was found that the risk of developing this condition escalates within the initial 6 months postchemotherapy, subsequently tapering off to become statistically insignificant after a duration of 6 years.

Keywords: cancer; cardiac dysfunction; chemotherapy.