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Lymphoma Treatment News
The
potential for heart damage from doxorubicin, one of the drugs included in
the CHOP chemotherapy regime for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and the ABVD plan for
Hodgkin’s lymphoma, has long been one of the challenges associated with
lymphoma treatment. Recently, researchers in Japan have found that
patients
who were given valsartan (an angiotensin II receptor inhibitor -- a drug
that
affects a particular aspect of heart chemistry) along with CHOP
chemotherapy
for NHL did not experience most of the short-term heart changes that CHOP
patients usually experience. It is not clear whether use of valsartan will
also improve the long-term heart health of CHOP patients.
While
this study shows very promising results from the use of valsartan,
medical practice is not based on the results of a single study. More
studies
replicating these results, and more knowledge on the long-term results of
valsartan use along with doxorubin, are needed.
Nakamae, H.; Tsumura, K., Terada, Y.; Nakane, T.; Nkamae, M.; Ohta, K.;
Yamane, T.; and Hino, M. Notable effects of angiotensin II receptor
blocker,
valsartan, on acute cardiotoxic changes after standard chemotherapy with
cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone. Cancer 104
(11),
Dec. 1, 2005, 2492-8.
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