Gleevec is proving over time to be such a promising breakthrough in successfully treating leukemia patients that even with the discovery that it can cause congestive heart failure researchers are still telling cancer patients not to stop taking the drug. Dr. Thomas Force, of Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, the study's author, said that this is not a case of Vioxx and while ten patients taking Gleevec for chronic myelogenous leukemia developed severe congestive heart failure, the take away message of the study is that doctors need to be aware that cancer drugs like Gleevec can have severe effects on the heart and the heart health of patients taking Gleevec needs to be closely monitored.
Novartis, the drug maker for Gleevec states drug information is provided that indicates the potential for heart damage, but clinical trials and safety data indicate the incidence of heart failure for people taking the drug is extremely rare.
I can remember reading the warnings regarding chemotherapy drugs and chemoprevention drugs before they were administered and prescribed, and while it might seem a bit unnerving to agree to treatment or daily drug use that might lead to serious health problems unrelated to cancer, it is a calculated risk most accept in an effort to stop cancer now.
Hopefully, the heart damage associated with Gleevec is as extremely rare as the drug maker suggests, and with awareness doctors can spot heart damage in time to treat it, because all other indications point to Gleevec making a significant difference in leukemia patients surviving cancer longer.
1. Even the newest molecularly-targeted therapies, designed to attack only cancer cells, the so-called "non-chemotherapy" drugs like Gleevec, can cause cardiotoxicity and heart failure. An enzyme inhibitor used for CML and GIST. Complications can be avoided with proper measures.
Avoiding certain drugs. Lowering drug dosages. Administering drugs slower and over a longer period of time. Monitoring cardiac health more stringently. Avoid giving some drugs simultaneously. Treating cardiac risk factors. Use of an echocardiogram during and after cancer treatment. Even treating patients with heart failure drugs.
M.D. Anderson, apparently has found a profile of cardiotoxicity for the most often used anticancer drugs, but they say it is important to know that every patient has different risk factors that will determine how their hearts handle treatment. According to Dr. Edward Yeh, professor and chairman of their Department of Cardiology, monitoring and management is key to surviving cancer with a good and lasting heart.
Posted at 5:45PM on Jul 23rd 2006 by Gregory D. Pawelski