Diabetes drug found to protect heart during cancer treatment

Protecting the heart during cancer treatment

Now, researchers from UEA’s Norwich Medical School have identified that a type of diabetes medication known as SGLT2 inhibitors can substantially protect the heart during and after cancer therapy. The systematic review and meta-analysis, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, involved 13 studies and a total of 88,273 cancer patients and survivors.

The analysis indicated that the use of SGLT2 inhibitors reduced hospital admissions for heart failure by over 50 percent. The benefits were particularly notable among breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline chemotherapy. In this subgroup, new heart failure cases fell by an impressive 71 percent.

A promising breakthrough

This is the first study demonstrating a medication that effectively reduces heart failure incidents and hospitalisations in cancer patients and survivors. Professor Vassilios Vassiliou, lead researcher at UEA and Cardiologist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, highlighted the significance of these findings:

“Cancer is currently one of the leading causes of premature death worldwide,” said Vassiliou. “Chemotherapy has played an instrumental role in improving patient outcomes. But up to 20 percent of cancer patients who have had chemotherapy go on to develop heart problems, with up to 10 percent having heart failure.”

He explained further: “We know that a type of diabetes medication called SGLT2 inhibitors are recognised for their cardiovascular benefits. They can improve the symptoms of heart failure such as breathlessness and tiredness, and also reduce people’s risk of becoming frail. We wanted to see whether SGLT2 inhibitors could help protect the heart during and after cancer treatment.”

Chemotherapy is a critical treatment for cancer, but it can also unintentionally harm the cardiovascular system. Certain chemotherapies, especially anthracyclines, are known to damage the heart muscle, leading to increased risks of heart failure, reduced quality of life, and higher rates of hospitalisation.

Future implications

While the results are highly encouraging, Vassiliou emphasised that additional research is needed to fully confirm these benefits. However, he expressed optimism about the drug’s potential role in future cancer care:

“We hope that this type of medication could in future be used as routine for cancer patients.” 

The study involved collaboration with medical centres across Europe, including hospitals in Dundee, Italy, and Spain. With further validation, this discovery could mark a significant advancement in supportive care for cancer patients worldwide.

This study was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.