In a nutshell
This study evaluated the effects of bosutinib (Bosulif) on the heart in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). This study concluded that bosutinib was associated with heart-related side effects, particularly in high-risk patients.
Some background
Previous studies have shown that bosutinib is effective and well-tolerated. However, it may be associated with side effects that affect the heart. Elderly individuals who are diagnosed with CML or those who already have cardiovascular risk factors may need to be monitored during bosutinib therapy.
Bosutinib is a targeted therapy. This type of treatment specifically targets cancer cells. Bosutinib blocks cancer cell growth. This leads to cancer cell death. The long-term side effects associated with bosutinib therapy in patients with CML outside of clinical trials remain under investigation.
Methods & findings
This study included 54 patients with CML. Patients were treated with bosutinib for an average for 16.5 months. Patients were followed-up for an average of 6 years.
Before starting treatment, 57.4% of patients were considered low to intermediate risk for cardiovascular risk factors. 42.6% of the patients were considered high-risk. These high-risk patients had significantly more heart-related side effects compared to low-risk or intermediate-risk patients (55% vs. 9%). Patients with a history of heart disease experienced significantly more side effects than patients who did not (40% vs. 4.9%).
Overall, 9 patients reported side effects of bosutinib treatment. These occurred at an average of 10 months after treatment. 11.1% of patients had a reduced dosage and 33.3% stopped treatment due to side effects.
After 40 months, 25.2% of all patients reported side effects from bosutinib treatment.
The bottom line
This study concluded that bosutinib was associated with some heart-related side effects, particularly in patients with a high risk of heart problems. The authors suggest that these patients should be closely monitored during bosutinib therapy.
The fine print
This study had a small number of patients. Also, this study was retrospective, meaning it looked back in time to analyze data. More studies are needed to confirm these results.
What’s next?
If you have concerns about heart disease, talk to your doctor about the potential side effects of bosutinib.
Published By :
Annals of Hematology
Date :
May 01, 2019
