Helping cancer survivors avoid heart failure
A phase II clinical trial across six European countries is testing a simple intervention called remote ischaemic conditioning (RIC) to see if it can help cancer patients treated with common chemotherapy drugs prevent heart failure. The trial is part the EU-funded RESILIENCE(opens in new window) project launched in 2021 to reduce the incidence of heart failure in cancer survivors. The double-blinded, randomised clinical trial has already recruited more than 350 people, with 608 patients from 22 hospitals in Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Portugal expected to take part overall. Patients participating in the trial are being treated for lymphoma using a common class of chemotherapy drugs called anthracyclines. As explained in a paper(opens in new window) published in the ‘European Journal of Heart Failure’ describing the study, anthracyclines – alone or in combination – are the most commonly used and accepted treatment for many cancers. Every year, they are administered to over 3 million European citizens to treat a first cancer. However, anthracyclines can also result in irreversible damage to the cardiac muscle, leading to chronic heart failure. More than 5 % of cancer survivors live with chronic heart failure caused by anthracycline-related heart damage, reflecting the pressing need for treatments able to prevent this.
It just takes once a week
“For many patients, the trade-off between cancer and potential heart damage can be horribly stressful,” observes Borja Ibáñez of RESILIENCE project coordinator Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research in a press release(opens in new window) published by the European Society of Cardiology. “This trial is testing a simple intervention, that patients can do themselves in their own home once a week during cancer treatment, to try to reduce their risk of heart damage.” The professor goes on to explain that if successful, the trial will pave the way for an even larger, phase III clinical trial. RIC, which is described as “similar to the tension applied to the arm during a blood pressure reading,” is considered a simple, safe, inexpensive and effective intervention. It involves controlled periods of restricting blood flow (ischaemia) and restoring blood flow (reperfusion) in a patient’s limb. “This is the first time an intervention has been offered to cancer patients during their treatment that could reduce their long-term chances of heart failure,” states Ibáñez, emphasising that the intervention is non-invasive and has no known side effects. “This trial has involved a truly remarkable collaboration between hospitals, research centres, industry partners and clinicians across six countries, alongside the critical role played by the European Society of Cardiology. The scale of this collaboration makes this a unique, landmark study in cardio-oncology.” The RESILIENCE (Remote Ischemic Conditioning in Lymphoma Patients Receiving Anthracyclines.) project also plans to investigate gender differences in cancer therapy-related heart damage and response to the intervention. In addition, it will test a new magnetic resonance imaging scanning protocol that could detect damage to the hearts of cancer patients earlier than is possible with current standards. For more information, please see: RESILIENCE project website(opens in new window)
