MUGA before and during chemotherapy – pro
The MUGA scan (MUltiple Gated Acquisition scan) is a noninvasive tool for assessing the function of the heart. The MUGA scan produces a moving image of the beating heart, and from this image several important features can be determined about the health of the cardiac ventricles (the heart’s major pumping chambers) and a measurement of cardiac ejection fraction. The latter can be monitored during chemotherapy to diagnos cardiotoxicity and adjust chemo, is it is noted.
Guidelines recommend routine use of MUGA before the administration of doxorubicin for adjuvant therapy for breast cancer but this has recently been questioned. Nevertheless, serial MUGA scans are widely recommended and are standard of care at this time.
Sabel, Michael S.; Levine, Ellis G.; Hurd, Thelma; Schwartz, Gary N.; Zielinski, Robert; Hohn, David; Edge, Stephen B.Cancer Management Controversy
Is MUGA Scan Necessary in Patients With Low-Risk Breast Cancer Before Doxorubicin-Based Adjuvant Therapy?American Journal of Clinical Oncology: Cancer Clinical Trials:
August 2001 – Volume 24 – Issue 4 – pp 425-428
Keefe DL. Trastuzumab-associated cardiotoxicity. Cancer. 2002;95:1592-1600.
Breast Cancer: Prognosis, Treatment, and Prevention [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)
by Jorge R. Pasqualini (Editor)
Informa Healthcare; 1 edition (July 17, 2002)
ISBN-13: 978-0824707125