Annual Report 2024
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine
Kazuko Tajiri, Takuro Imaoka
Introduction
We offer comprehensive cardiovascular care for cancer patients. Our services include assessing cardiovascular risk before surgery or cancer drug therapy, optimizing cardiovascular health, monitoring for early detection and intervention of cardiovascular toxicity during cancer treatment, long-term monitoring after cancer therapy, and treating cardiovascular diseases that may develop during cancer care.
The Team and What We Do
In 2024, we managed 2,656 consultations for new patients and 1,391 follow-up consultations, totaling 4,047 patient interactions. We initiated catheter-directed interventions for lower extremity deep vein thrombosis, treating nine cases in 2024. For emergencies requiring interventions like catheter treatments or advanced intensive care, patients are promptly referred to specialized cardiovascular hospitals nearby, ensuring seamless collaboration for optimal care.
Research Activities
We conduct numerous clinical studies and translational research projects on cardiovascular issues affecting patients with cancer, such as immune checkpoint inhibitor-related myocarditis, therapy-related cardiac dysfunction, and venous thrombosis. These projects aim to elucidate pathophysiology, perform real-world investigations, and develop strategies for early detection and treatment. In 2024, we published 11 English-language papers, four Japanese-language papers, and authored two books.
Education
Education related to cardio-oncology was conducted through regular meetings with oncologists, physiological testing technicians, nurses, and pharmacists.
Future Prospects
Optimizing cancer treatment effectiveness requires pre-treatment cardiovascular evaluation, continuous monitoring post-treatment, and timely intervention for cardiovascular toxicity. This involves a comprehensive understanding of cancer treatments with tailored cardiovascular management strategies. Additionally, training specialists in cardiovascular oncology and equipping general cardiologists with the necessary skills for this practice are essential.
List of papers published in 2024
Journal
1. Tajiri K. Addressing Cardiotoxicity Risks in Long-term Use of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Inhibitors. Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 64:1784-1785, 2025
2. Kuroda T, Yamada M, Imaoka T, Gotoh T, Takagi K. Physician attending cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for early aortic structural valve deterioration: non-invasive method to identify the regurgitate location. Cardiovascular intervention and therapeutics, 40:432-433, 2025
3. Li S, Tajiri K, Yuan Z, Murakata Y, Song Z, Mizuno S, Xu D, Murakoshi N. 4E-BP3 deficiency impairs dendritic cell activation and CD4(+) T cell differentiation and attenuates α-myosin-specific T cell-mediated myocarditis in mice. Basic research in cardiology, 120:225-240, 2025
4. Shibutani Y, Imaoka T, Suzuki A, Tajiri K. Withdrawal of Cardioprotective Therapy in Patients With Recovered Cancer Therapy-Related Cardiac Dysfunction. JACC. CardioOncology, 7:189, 2025
5. Shibutani Y, Kawanobe A, Suzuki S, Imaoka T, Tajiri K. Effects of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-induced Thyroid Dysfunction on Cardiac Troponin Levels. Journal of immunotherapy (Hagerstown, Md. : 1997), 2025
6. Ishizuka Y, Tajiri K. The Need for Next-generation Anticoagulation Therapies for Cancer-associated Venous Thromboembolism. Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 63:1843-1844, 2024
7. Osawa T, Tajiri K, Hoshi T, Ieda M, Ishizu T. Successful Treatment of Malignant Lymphoma Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement. Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 63:2433-2437, 2024
8. Inoue K, Machino-Ohtsuka T, Nakazawa Y, Iida N, Sasamura R, Bando H, Chiba S, Tasaka N, Ishizu T, Murakoshi N, Xu D, Sekine I, Tajiri K. Early Detection and Prediction of Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity - A Prospective Cohort Study. Circulation journal, 88:751-759, 2024
9. Okabe Y, Murakoshi N, Kurebayashi N, Inoue H, Ito Y, Murayama T, Miyoshi C, Funato H, Ishii K, Xu D, Tajiri K, Qin R, Aonuma K, Murakata Y, Song Z, Wakana S, Yokoyama U, Sakurai T, Aonuma K, Ieda M, Yanagisawa M. An inherited life-threatening arrhythmia model established by screening randomly mutagenized mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 121:e2218204121, 2024
10. Osawa T, Tajiri K, Hoshi T, Ieda M, Ishizu T. Impact of cancer in patients with aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of cardiology. Heart & vasculature, 52:101410, 2024
11. Tajiri K. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Myotoxicities: An Autoimmune Perspective. Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), 63:3129-3130, 2024
12. Mori H, Xu D, Shimoda Y, Yuan Z, Murakata Y, Xi B, Sato K, Yamamoto M, Tajiri K, Ishizu T, Ieda M, Murakoshi N. Metabolic remodeling and calcium handling abnormality in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in dilated phase of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with MYBPC3 frameshift mutation. Scientific reports, 14:15422, 2024
13. Li S, Xu D, Murakoshi N, Yuan Z, Imaoka T, Tajiri K. Autoantibody profiling of patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated myocarditis: a pilot study. Frontiers in immunology, 15:1423622, 2024