The cardioprotective effects of heart failure treatments in patients with cancer have been demonstrated in recent presentations and studies exploring how medical therapies safeguard heart function during anticancer therapy. Patients receiving cancer treatment frequently face side effects affecting the heart, which can force the discontinuation of anticancer therapy and reduce its effectiveness.
Heart Failure Therapies Demonstrate Protective Effects During Cancer Treatment
Researchers from the Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, presented findings at ESC Cardio-Oncology 2026, the annual conference of the European Society of Cardiology’s Council of Cardio-Oncology, according to News Medical. Presenter Ms Ymke Appels explained that guidelines from the European Society of Cardiology recommend certain treatments for cancer patients showing signs of cardiac dysfunction, though evidence has largely stemmed from small studies, expert opinion, or adapted heart failure guidelines. To gain broader clarity, researchers conducted a meta-analysis of published studies evaluating therapies recommended in the 2021 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure alongside the 2023 update.
The analysis incorporated randomized controlled trials as well as retrospective and prospective non-randomized studies. Drug classes evaluated in the review included:
* Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors, which encompass angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors * Beta-blockers * Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists * Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors * Statins
The meta-analysis identified 49 studies involving 6,998 patients, focusing primarily on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), a key measure of the heart’s pumping ability. Across 23 studies assessing RAAS inhibition, LVEF improved by 2.88% compared to placebo or standard care.
Diabetes Medications and Specialized Cardio-Oncology Programs
Separate research published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology and reported by Drugtargetreview evaluated the impact of SGLT2 inhibitors—a type of diabetes medication—on cancer patients and survivors. That systematic review and meta-analysis involved 13 studies and 88,273 participants, revealing that SGLT2 inhibitors reduced hospital admissions for heart failure by over 50 percent.
The advantages were particularly pronounced among breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline chemotherapy, a subgroup where new heart failure cases fell by 71 percent. Professor Vassilios Vassiliou, lead researcher at the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School and a cardiologist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, noted that up to 20 percent of cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy develop heart problems, with roughly 10 percent ultimately developing heart failure. Vassiliou expressed hope that such medications could eventually become a routine part of supportive cancer care worldwide.
Managing these cardiovascular risks is a core focus of specialized hospital programs. Cardiovascular disease remains the second leading cause of death among cancer survivors, second only to cancer itself. Programs such as the cardio-oncology team at the University of Alabama at Birmingham monitor patient heart function before, during, and after cancer treatments, utilizing screenings like electrocardiograms (EKGs) to catch issues early, as detailed by UAB. Depending on specific medications, management methods employed by specialists can include beta-blockers, blood pressure medications, steroids, immunosuppressive therapy, and diuretics.
Investigational Therapeutics and Future Directions
In experimental research, investigators continue to explore novel pathways to shield the heart from chemo-induced damage without compromising tumor regression. A team of University of Alberta researchers developed a cardio-oncology drug candidate named ZIM, short for ZNF281 Interfering Molecule, which targets the ZNF281 protein.
According to Ualberta, tests involving mice with lung cancer and melanoma demonstrated that treating the animals with ZIM alongside anthracycline protected the heart against failure while enhancing tumor regression and preventing cancer metastasis. Principal investigator Gopinath Sutendra noted that the drug neutralized the stress-response pathways triggered in the heart by DNA-damaging cancer treatments.