Cardiovascular status of breast cancer patients before and after receiving anthracycline chemotherapy regimen

Nurs Open. 2022 Jan;9(1):256-266. doi: 10.1002/nop2.1059. Epub 2021 Sep 30.

Abstract

Aim: To explore the effect of TEC chemotherapy regimen (Docetaxel + Epirubicin + Cyclophosphamide) on traditional cardiovascular risk factors, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and cardiac electrical activity.

Design: 243 patients with first initially diagnosed breast cancer were collected who receiving TEC chemotherapy.

Methods: Univariate analysis, multivariate analysis, binary logistic regression analysis and statistical description were used to analyse the data.

Results: Among the first diagnosed patients, prevalence of hypertension and overweight/obesity in postmenopausal patients were significantly higher than premenopausal group. Compared with initially diagnosed state, incidence of hyperlipidaemia increased significantly after TEC chemotherapy, blood glucose level was remarkably increased, and prevalence of hyperuricaemia was significantly increased, changes of blood pressure level and prevalence rate of hypertension were not significant, and there was no statistical difference. Different menopause status showed the same trend. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk stratification showed after chemotherapy low-risk patients decrease, medium-risk and high-risk people increased. Grouped by menstrual status, after chemotherapy, both groups showed the same trend. The independent influencing factors of increased heart rate after chemotherapy were postmenopausal status. Postmenopausal patients had more cardiovascular risk factors than premenopausal patients. After receiving chemotherapy, levels of cardiovascular risk factors in both groups mostly changed to the direction of disease. Chemotherapy drugs increase the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in breast cancer patients. It is necessary to strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation to dynamic assess the cardiovascular health of patients of breast cancer patients.

Keywords: breast neoplasms; cardiovascular protection; drug therapy; hyperlipidaemias; hyperuricaemia.

MeSH terms

  • Anthracyclines / adverse effects
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / therapeutic use
  • Breast Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Breast Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms* / epidemiology
  • Docetaxel / therapeutic use
  • Epirubicin / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Humans

Substances

  • Anthracyclines
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Docetaxel
  • Epirubicin