Klin Onkol 1997; 10(3): 83-87.
The incidence of anthracycline cardiomyopathy increases with growing cumulative doses of anthracyclines. The cardiomyopathies are divided into acute, subacute and late. In the Children Oncology Clinic in Motol, we found 9 patients with dilatation cardiomyopathies and one girl with pericardial liquid. The cardiotoxic effects can be monitored by echocardiography, radioisotope methods eventually followed by endomyocardial biopsy. Prevention is possible by administration of dextrazoxane (ICRF-187, Cardioxane), which is given in a ten times higher dose than anthracyclines and can substantially decrease the incidence of cardiomyopathy.
