The Effect of NAcetylcysteine Administration to Prevent AnthracyclineInduced Cardiotoxicity in Breast Cancer Patients

Introduction: Anthracyclines are one of the classes of chemotherapy drugs that #160;are widely used to treat many types of cancers including breast cancer. Taking this class of medications has a significant relationship with cardiac dysfunction. Nacetylcysteine has antioxidant properties and may be effective in preventing cardiac dysfunctions. In this study, we investigated the effect of Nacetylcysteine in preventing cardiotoxicity in breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline. Methods: #160;A #160;total #160;of #160;60 #160;breast #160;cancer #160;patients #160;who #160;underwent #160;chemotherapy #160;with anthracyclines were enrolled in the present casecontrol study and divided into two groups. The case group received 600 mg of Nacetylcysteine per day adjacent to chemotherapy; while #160;the #160;control #160;group #160;did #160;not #160;receive #160;this #160;medication. #160;One #160;month #160;after #160;the #160;last chemotherapy session, troponin I was measured as a predictor of cardiotoxicity. Results: Troponin I was positive in one patient in the case group compared with 3 patients in the control group without any significant difference among groups (P #62; 0.05) However, the respective mean #177;SD level of troponin I was 0.120 #177;0.039 and 0.192 #177;0.063 in the case and control groups with a statistically significant difference among groups (P #60;0.001). Conclusions: Administration of 600 mg Nacetylcysteine per day during the anthracycline based chemotherapy protocol in breast cancer patients may reduce the mean troponin I levels which can be a prediction of reduced anthracyclines cardiotoxicity.