Patients with testicular cancer treated with chemotherapy have an increased risk of developing early cardiovascular events. Identification of patients with testicular cancer at a high risk of these events enables the development of preventative strategies. This study validates the vascular fingerprint tool to identify these patients.
We carried out a multicenter prospective study in patients with metastatic testicular cancer [International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group (IGCCCG) good or intermediate risk; retroperitoneal mass <5 cm]. In eligible patients, the vascular fingerprint was assessed before the start of cisplatin-based chemotherapy, which consists of five risk factors, namely, smoking, overweight (body mass index >25 kg/m2), hypertension (blood pressure >140/90 mmHg), dyslipidemia (fasting cholesterol >5.1 mmol/l or low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol >2.5 mmol/l), and diabetes mellitus (fasting glucose ≥7.0 mmol/l). The presence of three or more risk factors was defined as high-risk vascular fingerprints. A log-rank test was carried out with a cardiovascular event within 1 year after the start of chemotherapy as the primary endpoint.
A total of 196 patients with metastatic testicular cancer were included; 15 patients (8%) developed a cardiovascular event: 4 (2%) arterial events and 11 (6%) venous thrombotic events. Overall, 189 vascular fingerprint scores were available. Patients with a high-risk vascular fingerprint (62/189) had a higher risk of developing a cardiovascular event (hazard ratio 3.27, 95% confidence interval 1.16-9.18; log-rank: P = 0.017). Histological diagnosis, prognosis group, cumulative chemotherapy dose, and retroperitoneal mass size did not differ between patients with or without a cardiovascular event. All patients with an arterial event had a high-risk vascular fingerprint compared with 5/11 patients with a venous event. Overweight was more prevalent in patients with cardiovascular events (87% versus 59%; P = 0.037).
The vascular fingerprint is a validated tool to identify patients with testicular cancer at a high risk of developing early cardiovascular events. This tool can be used to develop preventative strategies with anticoagulant treatment.
ESMO open. 2024 Jul 11 [Epub ahead of print]
A T Meuleman, E L D Volders, S Lubberts, J M Kerst, A N M Wymenga, M J B Aarts, M B Goncalves, J D Lefrandt, G Steursma, J Meijer, J Nuver, J A Gietema
Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen., Department of Medical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Amsterdam., Department of Medical Oncology, Medical Spectrum Twente, Enschede., Department of Medical Oncology, Maastricht University Medical Center, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht, the Netherlands., Department of Medical Oncology, Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil (IPOLFG), Lisboa, Portugal., Department of Vascular Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands., Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen. Electronic address: .