Left ventricular function and its longitudinal change in Swiss childhood cancer survivors – results from the CardioOnco study

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at risk for cardiac late effects. Echocardiographic assessment of cardiac function by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is recommended for survivors treated with known cardiotoxic treatments (anthracyclines; heart-relevant radiotherapy). The evidence on cardiotoxicity of other systemic anticancer therapies is conflicting and longitudinal changes in heart function are understudied. We assessed cardiac function in CCS; factors associated with LVEF and longitudinal changes in LVEF. METHODS: In this ongoing prospective, multicenter cohort study, we invited CCS aged ≥ 18 years, diagnosed < 21 years, survived ≥ 5 years, and received any systemic anticancer therapy or heart-relevant radiotherapy between 1976 and 2019. We invited them for an echocardiographic assessment including 2-dimensional LVEF (reduced LVEF: