Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity: role of the conventional echocardiography and the tissue Doppler.

Aim. The cardiotoxicity of anticancer drugs is an emerging problem and only an identification of the early signs of cardiotoxicity by conventional echocardiography and not (tissue Doppler imaging, TDI), will limit and contain the long-term cardiotoxicity effects. The aim of this study was to identify, through conventional echocardiography and TDI, parameters to use as early "signs" of cardiotoxicity. Methods. A prospective study was performed using patients with breast cancer (72 women, median age 57+/-12) treated with anticancer drugs (adjuvant chemotherapy). All patients underwent a careful cardiological evaluation before starting treatment (T0) and during follow-up at 3 months (T1), 6 mo…