Microparticles and cardiotoxicity secondary to doxorubicin-based chemotherapy in breast cancer patients

Doxorubicin (DOXO)-cardiotoxicity is a limiting factor for breast cancer chemotherapy. The relationship between microparticles (MPs) and cardiotoxicity remains unclear. MPs can be released under varying pathophysiological conditions. Thereby, this study aimed to assess MPs derived from cardiomyocytes (CardioMPs), platelets (PMPs) and those that expresses tissue factor (TFMPs) in 80 women with breast cancer undergoing DOXO-based chemotherapy, with or without cardiotoxicity in a one-year follow-up. We observed in the cardiotoxicity group higher count of total-MPs at T0 (prior chemotherapy) (p = 0.034), CardioMPs at T0 and T1 (just after chemotherapy) (p = 0.009 and p = 0.0034) and TFMPs at T0 (p = 0.011) compared to non-cardiotoxicity group. The results suggest that MPs could be associated to cardiotoxicity due to DOXO treatment in breast cancer patients.