Cancer and cardiovascular disease are among the leading causes of death worldwide, posing significant threats to human health. In cancer patients, cardiovascular disease represents a significant clinical challenge, as many cancer treatments options are associated with potential cardiotoxicity. Advances in cancer screening and early detection, coupled with the development of more effective therapies, have extended the survival of cancer patients (Mukai, Komori, & Oka, 2018). However, this has also led to an increased incidence of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity (CTR-CVT). As a result, cardiovascular disease has become a major cause of death among cancer patients.

The clinical manifestations of cardiotoxicity mainly include congestive cardiac insufficiency, decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), hypertension, arrhythmia, prolonged QT interval, and localized myocardial ischemia. It is generally classified as either acute or chronic. Acute cardiotoxicity is characterized by cardiac arrhythmias, typically occurs during treatment and up to two weeks after completion. Chronic cardiotoxicity, on the other hand, involves asymptomatic systolic and diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle (Cardinale and Sandri, 2010, Moudgil and Yeh, 2016), which can progress to severe congestive cardiomyopathy and, in some cases, result in death (Cardinale and Sandri, 2010, Moudgil and Yeh, 2016).

Biomarkers for CTR-CVT are valuable tools for personalized risk assessment, early detection of cardiac injury, and monitoring of treatment-induced cardiotoxicity in cancer patients (Zhang et al., 2022). By summarizing the risk factors and biomarkers associated with cancer therapy, we can effectively identify and monitor cardiotoxicity at an early stage, balance the relationship between therapeutic benefits and cardiovascular risks, implement effective measures, and provide early intervention to prevent irreversible cardiovascular dysfunction, thus improving patient prognosis and quality of life (Xiao et al., 2021). Further research is needed to standardize assay techniques, interpret biomarker levels within the context of cancer treatment, and integrate this data into clinical decision-making algorithms for optimal patient management.

This review underscores the critical role of biomarker-guided strategies in optimizing the cardiovascular care of cancer patients and highlights the ongoing needs for research and clinical innovation in this rapidly evolving field. Different cancer therapy methods and their cardiovascular toxicity are summarized in Table 1. We aim to summarize the common molecular mechanisms underlying CTR-CVT and to identify biomarkers for its detection.