New drugs used to treat leukemia, including Gleevec, may cause serious
heart damage, according to U.S. researchers. The researchers say that
people taking the medication should continue to take it, but should
also be closely monitored for heart damage.
The researchers from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Tufts
University School of Medicine in Boston, University of Texas released
the caution of Sunday, after they found evidence that treatment caused
heart failure in 10 patients. They say that people taking other drugs
in the same class, called tyrosine kinase inhibitors, may also be at
risk for heart damage.
The drugs have been very successful in treating chronic myelogenous
leukemia or CML, in most patients. They have found that 80 to 90
percent of the patients taking the drug were cancer free for at least
five years. The drugs have also been successful in treating a rare
form of stomach cancer called gastrointestinal stromal tumors or GIST.
Thomas Force, who led the investigation, said ""Gleevec is a wonderful
drug and patients with these diseases need to be on it. We're trying
to call attention to the fact that Gleevec and other similar drugs
coming along could have significant side effects on the heart and
clinicians need to be aware of this. It's a potential problem because
the number of targeted agents is growing rapidly."
The researchers tested the drug in lab dishes and found that it
appears to be toxic to heart cells. Also, mice treated with Gleevec
developed left ventricular dysfunction. This is a key symptom for
heart failure. Novartis, the maker of Gleevec said the cases of heart
failure were rare.
Force said "While the cancer is treated effectively, there will be
some percentage of patients who could experience significant left
ventricular dysfunction and even heart failure from this." Heart
failure will kill half of the patients within 5 years.
Novartis said that patients can be successfully treated with two drugs
that can help treat the heart failure. These drugs, called ACE
inhibitors and carvedilol, can be used as a treatment, but the
prognosis for heart failure remains poor.
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