Background: There are emerging reports of Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs); however, the association of the two remains uncertain.
Methods: A systematic literature review was performed in the PubMed database and web sources (Google Scholar) according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Case reports/series or studies including cancer patients treated with ICIs and presenting with TTS were considered.
Results: Seventeen cases were included in the systematic review. Most patients were males (59%) with median age of 70 years (30-83). Most common tumor types were lung cancer (35%) and melanoma (29%). Most patients were on first-line immunotherapy (35%) and after the first cycle (54%) of treatment. The median time on immunotherapy at the time of TTS presentation was 77 days (1-450). The most used agents were pembrolizumab and the combination of nivolumab-ipilimumab (35%, respectively). Potential stressors were recognized in 12 cases (80%). Six patients (35%) presented with concurrent cardiac complications. Corticosteroids were used in the management of eight patients (50%). Fifteen patients (88%) recovered from TTS, two patients (12%) relapsed, and one patient died. Immunotherapy was reintroduced in five cases (50%).
Conclusion: TTS may be associated with immunotherapy for cancer. Physicians should be alert for TTS diagnosis in any patient with myocardial infarction-like presentation under treatment with ICIs.
Keywords: TTS; broken heart syndrome; cancer; immune checkpoint inhibitors; immune-related adverse events; immunotherapy; takotsubo cardiomyopathy; takotsubo syndrome.