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Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Vascular Toxicity: Impetus for a Classification System?

  • Cardio-oncology (EH Yang, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

The introduction of molecularly targeted therapies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors has revolutionized cancer therapy and has contributed to a steady decline in cancer-related mortality since the late 1990s. However, not only cardiac but also vascular toxicity has been reported for these agents, some as expected on-target effects (e.g., VEGF receptor inhibitors) and others as unanticipated events (e.g., BCR-Abl inhibitors). A sound understanding of these cardiovascular toxic effects is critical to advance mechanistic insight into vascular disease and clinical care. From a conceptual standpoint, there might be value in defining type I (permanent) and type II (transient) vascular toxicity. This review will focus on the tyrosine kinase inhibitors in current clinical use and their associated vascular side effects.

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Acknowledgments

Supported, at least in part, by funding from the National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL 1169952-03).

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  1. Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Joerg Herrmann

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Correspondence to Joerg Herrmann.

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Conflict of Interest

Joerg Herrmann participated in the 2014 Ponatinib in CML Cardio-Oncology Advisory Board meeting organized by ARIAD Pharmaceuticals and is a member of the Institute for Cardio-Oncology advisory panel sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Cardio-oncology

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Herrmann, J. Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Vascular Toxicity: Impetus for a Classification System?. Curr Oncol Rep 18, 33 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-016-0514-0

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