Myocardial Strain during Surveillance Screening Is Associated with Future Cardiac Dysfunction among Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult-Onset Cancer

Simple Summary The optimal cardiovascular screening strategy among survivors of cancer diagnosed at age 39 years or younger has not been determined. This retrospective analysis examined the role of echocardiography-based myocardial strain in identifying survivors at risk for left ventricular dysfunction. In this population, longitudinal and circumferential strain can likely improve the identification of survivors at risk for cardiovascular dysfunction and provide an opportunity for early intervention. Cardiovascular disease is a leading contributor to mortality among childhood, adolescent and young adult (C-AYA) cancer survivors. While serial cardiovascular screening is recommended in this population, optimal screening strategies, including the use of echocardiography-based myocardial strain, are not fully defined. Our objective was to determine the relationship between longitudinal and circumferential strain (LS, CS) and fractional shortening (FS) among survivors. This single-center cohort study retrospectively measured LS and CS among C-AYAs treated with anthracycline/anthracenedione chemotherapy. The trajectory of LS and CS values over time were examined among two groups of survivors: those who experienced a reduction of >5 fractional shortening (FS) units from pre-treatment to the most recent echocardiogram, and those who did not. Using mixed modeling, LS and CS were used to estimate FS longitudinally. A receiver operator characteristic curve was generated to determine the ability of our model to correctly predict an FS <= 27%. A total of 189 survivors with a median age of 14 years at diagnosis were included. Among the two survivor groups, the trajectory of LS and CS differed approximately five years from cancer diagnosis. A statistically significant inverse relationship was demonstrated between FS and LS -0.129, p = 0.039, as well as FS and CS -0.413, p < 0.001. The area under the curve for an FS <= 27% was 91%. Among C-AYAs, myocardial strain measurements may improve the identification of individuals with cardiotoxicity, thereby allowing earlier intervention.

Automated summary

This retrospective analysis examined the role of echocardiography-based myocardial strain in identifying survivors at risk for left ventricular dysfunction in cancer survivors aged 39 years or younger. The study found that longitudinal and circumferential strain measurements can potentially improve the identification of survivors at risk for cardiovascular dysfunction and allow for early intervention.