James Cook University Hospital’s BHF COLLATE study is creating a model registry of the blood samples from those receiving anthracycline chemotherapy. 

Hospital research teams have joined forces to assess the long-term effects of anthracycline chemotherapy on the heart.

Funded by the British Heart Foundation, the BHF COLLATE study is led by the academic cardiovascular unit (ACU) at James Cook University Hospital. As part of the research, 200 patients will be recruited across several UK hospitals to create a model registry of the blood samples from those receiving this type of chemotherapy. It is believed to be the first study of its kind in the UK.

Anthracycline chemotherapy is used across a range of cancers including breast, lymphoma and sarcoma. As part of the study, detailed information on the participants’ health status, including their cancer treatment and follow-up care received, will be collected. 

Risk of heart issues years later

“More patients are surviving cancer, therefore the late effects of cancer treatment are now becoming more important,” said David Austin, consultant cardiologist and co-director of the ACU at James Cook Hospital. “A small proportion of patients can have significant heart-related side effects many years later, such as an increased risk of heart failure. We need more information to help us evaluate this.”

Participants will provide blood samples before and after chemotherapy treatment, and repeat bloods will be taken a year later. They will also be invited to have additional scans to establish the effects on the heart.

Researchers hope this will help to uncover genetic factors or biological indicators that could lead to the development of new treatments and increase understanding of the impact on heart health.

“We’re very excited to be leading this study,” Austin said. “Survivorship issues in cancer care are increasingly important, and we hope this will be an important step towards improving heart health for patients undergoing chemotherapy.”

Both cardiovascular and oncology teams regularly carry out research activities, but the challenge now is working together, he added.

“If we can create an upscaled national network, this will help us identify who is most at risk and how best to tailor individual treatments,” he added.