Dr. Christos Toumpanakis MD PhD FRCPConsultant in Gastroenterology/Neuroendocrine Tumours

Hon. Senior Lecturer University College of LondonNeuroendocrine Tumour Unit - ENETS Centre of Excellence

ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, London,UK

Carcinoid Heart Disease (CHD)

NET MASTERCLASS

What’s new in 2015: an interactive workshop

Carcinoid Syndrome

MIDGUT NETs, OVARIAN NETs, BRONCHIAL NETs

Flushing, diarrhoea, bronchospasm, Carcinoid Heart Disease

• 30 – 40 % of patients with liver metastases • 5% of patients with carcinoid syndrome do not have liver metastases

“Carcinoid crisis” Severe symptoms of carcinoid syndrome + hypotension during

procedures that involve GA, as well as in TAE, and when the patient is on inotropes

Carcinoid Heart Disease

•May develop in 30-50% of patients, with carcinoid syndrome (midgut NETs with hepatic or retro-peritoneal metastases, ovarian NETs and bronchial NETs).

•It represents the development of fibrotic plaques on the heart valves.

•It DOES NOT mean development of myocardial metastases.

•Its development is associated with 30 – 50% reduction in the expected survival of those patients.

Battacharyya S , Toumpanakis C et al, AJC 2008

How CHD develops?• It is mediated by vasoactive substances secreted by the NETs cells:

– 5 hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin)– Prostaglandins – Histamine– Bradykinin– Substances with fibroblast proliferative properties

• Tachykinins: substance P, neurokinin A, neuropeptide K

• Transforming growth factor β

Fox DJ & Khattar RS. Heart 2004;90:1224-8.Bernheim AM et al, Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 2007; 49(6): 439-451.

Deposition of Endocardial

Plaques Composed of:

• MyofibroblastsMyofibroblasts• Smooth muscle cellsSmooth muscle cells

• Deposits of ECMDeposits of ECM (including collagen &

myxoid ground substance)

The Pathways Responsible for the The Pathways Responsible for the Development of CHDDevelopment of CHD

Are still uncertain. Are still uncertain.

The disease is likely to be multifactorial.The disease is likely to be multifactorial.

SEROTONINSEROTONIN

is a major player and is considered to be a major initiator of the is a major player and is considered to be a major initiator of the fibrotic process, by targeting the fibrotic process, by targeting the 5-HT2B receptor.

R. Dobson et al., International Journal of Cardiology 2014; 173: 29-32.Gustafsson BI et al, International Journal of Cardiology 2008; 129: 318-324.

Endocardial deposits of Endocardial deposits of fibrous tissuefibrous tissue

• occur primarily on the downstream side of the valve leaflets (on the ventricular aspect of the tricuspid valve and the pulmonary arterial side of the pulmonary valve) - preferentially right-sided lesions.– the lungs filter the vasoactive peptides, inactivating them in the

pulmonary circulation before they reach the left atrium

Left-sided valvular pathology (5-10%) - seen only in patients with bronchial carcinoid or patent foramen ovale or in those with poorly controlled, severe carcinoid syndrome that overwhelms the pulmonary degradative capacity.

Palaniswamy C et al., Cardiol Rev 2012;20:167-76.Gustafsson BI et al., Int J Cardiol 2008;129(3):318-24.

• ““Carcinoid Plaque” Carcinoid Plaque” - composed of smooth muscle cells & myofibroblasts forming a white fibrous layer lining on the endocardial surface of cardiac valves, superficial to normal valve.

Bhattacharyya S et al. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2010;3:103-111.

• The disease is characterized by retraction & fixation of predominantly the right-sided valve leaflets, leading to a combination of valvular regurgitation & stenosis, which ultimately can progress to right heart failure.A. Dilated right heart, with thickened, retracted tricuspid valve leafletsB. Colour flow Doppler revealing severe jet of TR filling a dilated right

atrium.C. Continuous wave Doppler showing dense jet of TR.

Bernheim AM et al., Prog Cardiovasc Dis 2007;49(6):439-51.

Clinical Features of CHDClinical Features of CHDClinical Features of CHDClinical Features of CHD

• Asymptomatic period - variable• Dyspnea, fatigue• Ascites and peripheral edema

- Cardiac

- Hepatic

- Nutritional

- Combination

NET Biomarkers for screening / diagnosis

A) 24h urine 5-HIAA levels Significantly higher in patients with CHD. Patients with

CHD have on average, 2 to 4-fold higher values of serum serotonin, and platelets serotonin.

Low specificity.

B) Chromogranin-A (CgA) Sensitivity of CgA to predict severe CHD was 100%, but

specificity was only 30%. A level of 784mcg/L resulted in specificity of 75% and

sensitivity of 73%.

No CHD CHD

5-HIAA

Lundin et al, Circulation 1988Zuetenhorst et al, Cancer, 2003Korse et al, J Clin Oncol 2009

NET biomarkers for prediction of development and / or progression of CHD

• Development and progression of CHD were linked to 5-HIAA levels.• 5-HIAA > 300 μmol/L is independent predictor for development and

progression of CHD (2-3 fold increase in risk). Multivariate model, in a prospective study of 252 patients.

• No significant value was noted for Chromogranin-A.

23 patients, 8 had / developed CHD 71 patients

Denney et al, J Am Coll Cardiol 1998Moller et al, NEJM 2003Bhattacharyya et al, Am J cardiol 2011

Natriuretic peptides for screening / diagnosis of CHD

Median NT pro- BNP was significantly higher. Cut-off level : 260 pg/ml, sensitivity 92% & specificity 91%.• Negative and positive predictive values : 0.98 & 0.71 respectively. • Good correlation with CHD ECHO score and functional NYHA class.

NT pro-BNP

ANP

CHD

No CHD

No CHD

CHD

NT pro-BNP

ANP levels were higher in CHD, but no statistically significant.

Zuetenhorst et al, Br J Cancer, 2004Bhattacharyya et al, Am J Cardiol 2008

200 pts were screened, 39 had CHD.

NT pro-BNP as a predictor of survival

• Worse survival in raised levels.• Patients with raised NT proBNP and CgA levels have

a 16% survival probability in 5 years.

Zuetenhorst et al, Br J Cancer, 2004 Korse et al, J Clin Oncol 2009

Central role of c. ECHO for diagnosis• The ECHO spectrum is wide.

• Patients with diffuse thickening of valve leaflets or isolated thickening of a single valve leaflet without significant reduction in leaflet mobility or the development of valvular regurgitation may represent the early stages of carcinoid heart

disease.

• Advanced techniques such as 3D TTE or 3D TEE are helpful in identifying and assessing valve pathology, particularly in the pulmonary and tricuspid valves, because all leaflets may not be visualized on 2D echocardiography.

S. Bhattacharyya et al. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2010

• CMR can be a valuable adjunct where echocardiographic windows

are poor or structures such as the pulmonary valve are difficult to visualize.

• Morphological features of severe carcinoid heart disease can be delineated with assessment of valvular regurgitation, stenosis, and quantification of ventricular volumes.

• CMR enables measurement of size of metastases and is able to offer information regarding extension into extracardiac structures, which is not available on echocardiographic techniques.

Complementary role of cardiac MRI

S. Bhattacharyya et al. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2010

- Assessment of cardiac valves and RV function

- Pre-surgical assessment of coronary arteries

- Assessment of myocardial metastases and their relationship with affected cardiac valves

O.Lazoura presentation, 1st International CHD Symposium, London, 09/2014

Complementary role of CT

Medical Management of CHDMedical Management of CHDMedical Management of CHDMedical Management of CHD

• Watchful waiting for symptoms

• Diuretics for edema – loop or thiazide- May reduce cardiac output

- Fatigue may worsen

• Limited alternative medical options- Digoxin or ACE

Bernheim AM, Connolly HM, Pellikka PA.

Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med. 2007

Surgical management of severe CHDSurgical management of severe CHDSurgical management of severe CHDSurgical management of severe CHD

Indications: Individualized

– Symptomatic right heart failure

– Fatigue, dyspnoea oedema, ascites

– Progressive RV enlargement /

dysfunction

– Prior to hepatic surgery

Will valve surgery with inherent risks (mortality 10-25%) result in symptomatic improvement and survival benefit?

Askew JW, Connolly HM.Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med. 2013

Functional Improvement following valve surgery for CHD

Significant functional improvement after surgery.

Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands EJCTS 2012

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

1 0 0

0 1 2 3 4 5

SurvivalSurvival (%)(%)

YearsYears

26 Surgical Pt26 Surgical Pt

40 Medical Pt40 Medical Pt

Survival of Patients with Symptomatic Carcinoid Heart Disease

Connolly et al; JACC 1995Connolly et al; JACC 1995

Surgical RxSurgical Rx compared withcompared withhistorical medical controls historical medical controls

Timing of OperationTiming of OperationTiming of OperationTiming of Operation

Prosthesis Prosthesis & Surgical& Surgical

RisksRisks

Progressive Progressive DebilityDebility

• More controversial.

• No large series have compared the choice of valve prosthesis. • Biological valves are usually preferred because:

- They have an acceptable lifespan.- Somatostatin analogues and other antitumour therapies may theoretically

protect the valve from deposition of further carcinoid plaques.- They do not require anticoagulation and consequently lower the risk of

bleeding in patients with hepatic dysfunction and also reduce the risk of valve thrombosis (mechanical valve thrombosis is 4% per year).

SURGICAL MANAGEMENT of CHDChoice of Valve Prosthesis

Raja SG et al, Future Cardiol. 2010

Non – surgical, interventional options

• Percutaneous catheter-based interventions clearly improve the therapeutic options in CHD by minimizing invasiveness, avoiding general anesthesia and allowing staged procedures.

• Feasible mainly for aortic valve, potentially for pulmonary valve and closure of PFO.

• Not suitable for mitral valve.• Not suitable for tricuspid valve. However, heterotopic single or dual caval

valve implantation, for severe TR seems feasible and safe..

Carcinoid syndrome Resistant to SSTA

No radiological progression

Excludeother

causes

• Optimize SSTs• Add interferon

• Clinical trials (Telotristat Etiprate)• Debulking surgery

Radiological progression

• PRRT

• ? Everolimus PredominantlyLiver diseaseTAERFA? SIRT

Take Home Messages• CHD may develop in 30-50% of patients, with carcinoid syndrome and its

development may decrease survival.

• Aggressive carcinoid syndrome treatment may prevent the development and progression of CHD.

• NT pro-BNP seems to be a good screening biomarker.

• Cardiac ECHO remains the diagnostic modality of choice.

• Limited medical therapeutic options.

• It is important to identify the “right” time for valve replacement.

• Advances in surgical treatment improved survival.

• Percutaneous catheter-based interventions seem to be promising alternatives in poor surgical candidates.

• Experienced multidisciplinary team required for state-of-the-art management.

1st International Symposium for Carcinoid Heart Disease – London 4/9/2014

• 89 delegates from 10 different countries UK, US, Germany, France,

Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Ireland, Israel

• 36 : 40% NET physicians• 53 : 60% Cardiologists

(Consultants, Trainees, Technicians)

Thank you very much