Cancer Drugs Could Damage Heart

Powerful medicines that enlist the immune system to fight cancer can, in rare cases, cause damage to the heart, according to some doctors. So far, less than 1% of patients taking these medicines – called checkpoint inhibitors 0- have developed heart trouble. But in those who do, the damage can be severe, and the drugs have led to several deaths by provoking the immune system to attack the heart. The risk appears highest when patients take two different checkpoint inhibitors at once. This is new complication of potentially lifesaving drugs. Four checkpoint inhibitors are in the market: ipilimumab (brand name Yervou), nivolumab (Opdivo), pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and zolizumab (Tecentriq). The side effects have prompted hospitals to add extra cardiac testing for patients taking more than one drug.