New molecule protects heart from toxic Breast Cancer drugs

“Cardiotoxicity of cancer drugs has become an increasing problem in the last decade due to the increasing success of anticancer therapy and aggressive use of these drugs. More people are now surviving cancer but it is estimated that 32% of them could die of heart disease caused by their treatment. This has led to a new field of medicine called cardio-oncology.” A new molecule has been found that protects the heart from toxic breast cancer drugs and also kills the cancerous tumor. The research from Italy addresses the burgeoning problem of heart disease in cancer survivors.  “Patients with some forms of breast cancer are at greater risk of dying from heart disease than from cancer. A number of breast cancer treatments are toxic for the heart notably chemotherapy with anthracyclines, such as doxorubicin, or with trastuzumab (Herceptin). Radiation therapy can make anthracyclines even more cardiotoxic, as can the sequence of anthracylines followed by trastuzumab. The latter combination for metastatic breast cancer can cause severe heart failure in up to 27% of patients.”
Dr Ghigo’s research focuses on the enzyme phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma (PI3Kɣ) which regulates heart function. She previously showed that inhibiting the activity of PI3Kɣ protected mice with hypertension from developing heart failure.“The mechanisms underlying heart failure induced by anticancer therapies are different to those underlying heart failure from other causes such as hypertension. For this reason there are no effective drugs on the market to prevent this new kind of heart failure. Our study shows that PI3Kɣ could be a novel way to prevent heart failure caused by cancer drugs while also helping to kill the tumor itself.”