Extracellular matrix remodeling in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity: What place on the pedestal?

To evaluate the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 and 9 and the gene polymorphisms of MMP-2 (rs243865) and MMP-9 (rs3918242) in the course of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC) in women without previous cardiovascular diseases (CVD) during 24-months. A total of 114 women (47.0 [44.0; 52.0] years old) with AIC of NYHA class I-III who received doxorubicin for breast cancer were enrolled. After 24 months patients had breast cancer remission and were divided into 2 groups: group 1 comprised women with adverse course of AIC (n = 54), group 2 comprised those without it (n = 60). Serum levels of MMP-2 were higher by 8% (p = 0.017) MMP9 by 18.4% (p