Cumulative incidence and risk factors of mitoxantrone-induced cardiotoxicity in children: a systematic review

Eur J Cancer. 2004 Mar;40(5):643-52. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2003.12.006.

Abstract

Mitoxantrone is believed to maintain anthracycline antitumour activity but be associated with a reduced cardiotoxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the evidence for the cumulative incidence of and risk factors for mitoxantrone-induced cardiotoxicity (M-CT) in children treated for childhood cancers. After an extensive literature search, 17 studies were included. The cumulative incidence varied between 0 and 6.7% in the 16 studies evaluating symptomatic M-CT and between 0 and 80% in the 11 studies evaluating asymptomatic M-CT. Risk factors for developing M-CT remain unclear. All studies had serious methodological limitations. In conclusion, children treated with mitoxantrone are at risk of developing M-CT, but due to the low quality of the current evidence, the exact cumulative incidence and risk factors for M-CT remain unclear. It is too early to conclude that in children mitoxantrone is less cardiotoxic than anthracyclines. More well-designed studies are needed to reliably evaluate the incidence of M-CT and its associated risk factors.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Heart Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Mitoxantrone / adverse effects*
  • Risk Factors
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Mitoxantrone