Putting the heart
into long-term cancer care
1 in 10 cancer patient die due to cardiovascular problems1
Cancer patients have on average a 2-6 times higher mortality risk due to cardiovascular disease than the
general population*2
1 in 10 cancer patient die due to cardiovascular problems1
Cancer patients have on
average a 2-6 times
higher mortality
risk due to
cardiovascular
disease than the
general population*2
The statistics speak for themselves: Cardiovascular issues, such as chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy and cardiac-dysfunction, can cause problems for cancer patients – even years after therapy. There's significant potential to support outcomes by identifying indicators as soon as possible. This calls for an efficient collaboration between cardiologists and oncologists.
Discover how you can integrate Philips AutoStrain and Dynamic HeartModelA.I. into a new or existing cardiac ultrasound environment.
What is cardiotoxicity?
Earlier diagnosis of damage enhances the opportunities to accommodate cardioprotective treatment while continuing the cancer treatment.
Cardiotoxicity explores how certain cancer therapies have been shown to cause an increased risk of cardiac cell damage and symptomatic heart failure. Perhaps the most common cardiotoxic effect is left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, mainly associated with the application of anthracyclines and trastuzumab.1
What can be done to manage cardiotoxicity?
Managing the risk of cardiotoxicity takes cooperation between cardiologists and oncologists; ideally starting with a baseline cardiac assessment of patients scheduled to receive potentially cardiotoxic agents.4 However, the simple and widely available assessment of left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by 2D echochardiography often fails to detect the small changes in LV contractility. More accurate measurements are available from 3DEF. But it is global longitudinal strain (GLS) that completes either analysis, as the optimal parameter of deformation for the early detection of subclinical LV dysfunction.4
ASE webinar series
Echocardiographic assessment in the diagnosis and management of cardiotoxic effects of cancer therapy: A case-based presentation for the practitioners.
New guidelines for cardio-oncology released at ESC 2022
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) rolled out its first ever guideline for cardio-oncology. This guideline provides direction on the definitions, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular (CV) toxicity, and the management of CV disease caused directly or indirectly by cancer. Since cancer patients are treated with a potentially cardiotoxic therapy they are at high risk of developing heart failure, and therefore it is recommended that they undergo a baseline evaluation of their cardiac health, including a transthoracic echo exam (TTE) with left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF). Further, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) should be determined before and periodically during cardiotoxic treatment for early detection of cardiac dysfunction. Three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography is the preferred echocardiography modality for the assessment of LVEF, along with Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS). In addition to baseline risk assessment, TTE is also recommended for ongoing monitoring during multiple myeloma therapies.
The guidance is clear. To improve the quality of clinical practice and patient care relative to cancer treatment and cardiovascular toxicity, cardiac risk assessment is crucial prior to any anti-cancer therapy. Cardiac imaging modalities support a more confident stratification of this risk while serving as a powerful baseline reference for treatment and long-term follow-up. Implicit in this guidance is the need for tools that provide reproducible, consistent and accurate measurements for a more efficient and confident assessment. Philips is pleased to partner with you to help manage cardio-toxicity risks and improve outcomes for cancer patients.
Collaborative care – across disciplines, across time
Excellent patient care in everyday practice
One-button, automated measurements - of GLS, using Philips AutoStrain or 3DEF using Philips Dynamic HeartModelA.I.** - mean both experienced and new operators can achieve the same robust and reproducible results. This not only makes it efficient in routine clinical use, it also enhances your flexibility when planning exams.
Get accurate and reproducible values for follow-up examinations
For diagnostic confidence when managing cancer patients, the reproducibility and accuracy of measurements is key. The reproducibility of GLS and accuracy of 3DEF measurements have been found to be superior to conventional echocardiographic measurements (like 2DEF) in many cases.5
Personalize care with rich clinical insight
Having AutoStrain – or Dynamic HeartModelA.I. – on your Philips cardiac ultrasound system, simplifies how you store and administer your results for easy access, whether for reporting or discussion. Oncologists and tumor boards can also incorporate these results into their decision making process for adjusting treatments.
Keep patients at the center of your care
Addressing cardiotoxicity risks for cancer patients is essential in averting potential heart damage. A concerted, multidisciplinary approach - involving oncologists and cardiologists - helps you provide holistic patient care.
Automated GLS measurement for routine clinical use
On-cart or for post-processing, AutoStrain offffers a simple, fast GLS solution, driven by Auto View Recognition and Auto Contour Placement. Trained on more than 6000 images to ensure robustness, AutoStrain LV provides one-button-push, reproducible left ventricle strain measurement for everyday clinical use.
Cardiology quantification designed to increase confidence Philips Dynamic HeartModelA.I. is a 3D tool that provides robust, reproducible ejection fraction (EF) in seconds as part of a routine workflow.
Related solutions
Other resources
Dr. López Fernández discussed echo as a preventive and prognostic tool in an ESC Council’s webinar in January, 2020.
The American Society of Echocardiography and the and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging have a prepared an expert consensus statement on the evaluation of cardiac dysfunction related to cancer therapeutics.
The American Society of Echocardiography also provides guidelines for performing comprehensive transthoracic echocardiographic examinations, which includes information on strain imaging and 3D evaluation of LV size and systolic function.
TOMTEC solutions
Cardio-toxicity is one of the most concerning side effects of cancer therapy. Early detection and monitoring of any cardiac side effects, before visual changes occur, is essential during cancer treatment.
References
* Compared to the general population ** Anatomical Intelligence
