A 53-year-old patient attended the emergency department, on two occasions, because of angina symptoms following the administration of 5-fluorouracil. This treatment was employed in a preoperative neoadjuvant approach in the setting of a recent diagnosis of colorectal cancer (T3N1M0).
Overall, 5-fluorouracil can be associated with cardiac toxicity that manifests itself as pectoral angina, infrequently resulting in irreversible, potentially lethal, cardiac pathologies. While multiple risk factors and action mechanisms have been proposed in the literature, they are still largely unknown among practitioners.
Key Words
Cardiac toxicity, 5-fluorouracil, Risk factors, Diagnosis, Treatment
What is already known about the topic?
An improved understanding of the cardiac toxicity of 5-fluorouracil is medically essential. This agent can cause serious complications, which are potentially lethal or possibly lead to premature chemotherapy discontinuation or dose reduction, which, in turn, reduces the effectiveness of anti-tumor therapy.
What does this article bring up for us?
This article presents different proposals as for risk factors, diagnostic methods, and management techniques from the scientific literature. In addition, the paper likewise highlights a lack of understanding about 5-fluorouracil-induced cardiac toxicity, as well as the need to raise knowledge on this subject, along with appropriate preventive measures, good diagnostic methodology, and adequate management plan.