Cardiovascular risk in long‐term survivors of testicular cancer

BACKGROUND Long‐term survivors of testicular cancer (TC) who received cisplatin‐based chemotherapy have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. A cross‐sectional study was performed to objectively assess cardiovascular risk, subclinical atherosclerosis, and endothelial function in long‐term survivors of TC. METHODS Long‐term survivors of TC underwent evaluation including determination of body mass index (BMI), Framingham relative risk (RR), brachial artery flow‐mediated dilatation (FMD), carotid artery intima‐media thickness (IMT), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (sICAM‐1), high sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), and flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood for levels of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and circulating endothelial cells (CECs). TC survivors who received chemotherapy were compared with a chemotherapy naive cohort. RESULTS Twenty‐four patients received cisplatin‐based chemotherapy (CBCT) and 15 were chemotherapy‐naive (CN). The CBCT cohort demonstrated more impairment of brachial artery FMD than the CN group (5.6% vs 8.8%; P = .05). The mean sICAM was also found to be higher in the CBCT cohort compared with the CN group (P = .04). No significant differences between the groups were noted with regard to BMI, Framingham RR, carotid IMT, or hs‐CRP. In a subset of patients, TC survivors who received chemotherapy had a significantly increased level of CECs compared with CN patients (P = .04). No significant difference in EPC levels was detected. CONCLUSIONS Long‐term survivors of TC who received chemotherapy demonstrate objective evidence of endothelial injury and dysfunction, a potential mechanism for increased cardiovascular risk. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society. Long‐term survivors of testicular cancer (TC) treated with chemotherapy have an increased cardiovascular risk. Compared with chemotherapy‐naive TC survivors, those treated with cisplatin‐based chemotherapy demonstrate objective evidence of endothelial injury and dysfunction.