Large Vessel Inflammation Associated with Anthracycline Exposure
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Large vessel 18Fluoride-Fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with anthracyclines
IRAS ID
320641
Contact name
Ninian Lang
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Anthracyclines are a class of systemic anti-cancer drugs that are very effective in treating various cancers. Anthracyclines are known to cause damage to the heart, impairing it’s function and causing heart failure. It is also recognised that patients treated with anthracyclines are at increased risk of heart attacks (myocardial infarction). The reason for this association is not well understood.
Heart attacks are caused by plaque in the artery wall (atherosclerosis) of the coronary (heart) arteries. Inflammation plays a significant role in the development of atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction. We intend to investigate if anthracyclines cause acute inflammation in large arteries in the rest of the body.
PET-CT is a scan using radioactive sugar (18F-FDG) to detect metabolically active areas. It is commonly used in cancer for staging and assess response to treatment. It is also the gold standard imaging method of inflammation. The process of atherosclerosis occurs in all arteries, including the large arteries such as the aorta, carotid, femoral and iliac arteries. Prior research has shown that inflammation in the large arteries correlates with inflammation in the coronary arteries.
Patients with lymphoma, are frequently treated with anthracyclines and routinely have PET-CT scans performed, as part of their routine clinical care for their cancer treatment. We intend to perform a retrospective analysis of PET/CT scans performed at the Beatson West of Scotland PET/CT Centre in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who were treated with anthracyclines. Using an established method for analysing the large arteries, we intend to assess inflammation in the large arteries of these patients, before and during their cancer treatment.
This study will have no impact on the management of these patients as this is an exploratory measure. There is no established link with future disease or established treatments. All PET/CT scans have been reported by a Consultant radiologist.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
22/WS/0180
Date of REC Opinion
16 Dec 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion