Is Takotsubo syndrome in patients receiving chemotherapy drug-specific?

Abstract

In commenting on a case report of a 55-year-old man who suffered Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), in the setting of receiving chemotherapy with cytarabine and daunorubicin for acute myeloid leukemia, the author expresses his views that TTS in the setting of chemotherapy for malignancies may not be chemotherapeutic drug-specific (like in the chemotherapeutic drug induced-cardiomyopathy), but may be due to the emotional and physical stresses resulting from the realization of having diagnosed with a malignancy, and the diagnostic testing, and therapeutic management which follows.

Keywords: Anthracyclines; Autonomic sympathetic Nervous system.; Cardiomyopathy; Cardiotoxicity; Chemotherapy; Cytarabine; Daunorubicin; Malignancies; Radiotherapy; Takotsubo syndrome.