Evaluation of left atrial strain as predictor for cardiotoxicity
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of echocardiography-derived left atrial strain as predictor for cardiotoxicity in patients with breast cancer
IRAS ID
328414
Contact name
Piotr Sonecki
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 31 days
Research summary
Trastuzumab is a drug used to treat breast cancer. Trastuzumab treatment has improved survival and prevented cancer returning in these patients however, it can cause side effects, including heart muscle damage and heart failure. During treatment, serial heart ultrasound scans are used to check whether trastuzumab is causing any heart muscle damage. This is commonly assessed through a measurement called left ventricular ejection fraction, which measures how hard the heart muscle in the bottom left chamber of the heart pumps. However, research has shown that detectable heart muscle damage may be a late side effect of trastuzumab treatment.
Recently, it has been identified that changes in the function of the top left chamber of the heart (left atrium) are associated with reduced heart pumping function in patients with heart failure however, there is little evidence of this in patients with breast cancer. This study will investigate whether changes in the function of the left atrium can be used to predict the development of heart muscle damage caused by trastuzumab treatment in patients with breast cancer using a measurement called strain. We expect that this measurement will be able to detect signs of heart muscle damage before there is a change in the left ventricular ejection fraction measurement.
We will investigate this by assessing ultrasound images of hearts taken from patients with breast cancer who have been treated with trastuzumab before they started treatment and approximately 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment, to see if left atrial strain can detect early signs of heart muscle damage before there is a change in the left ventricular ejection fraction. If this measurement can detect early signs of heart failure before patients experience symptoms, high risk patients could be identified, and early treatment could be provided to reduce their symptoms and improve outcomes.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
23/WS/0157
Date of REC Opinion
3 Jan 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion