Utility Of Pre-Chemotherapy Echocardiograms

Anthracycline-based chemotherapy is widely used in a variety of regimens for Hodgkin's Lymphoma (HL) and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL). Unfortunately this agent is associated with cardiotoxicity, especially in larger cumulative doses. Doxorubicin cardiotoxicity is characterized by a dose-dependent decline in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Reactive oxygen species, generated by the interaction of doxorubicin with iron, can then damage the myocytes causing myofibrillar loss, cytoplasmic vacuolization, and apoptosis.