Emerging Strategies for the Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Paediatric Cancer Patients: Advances and Future Perspectives

Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity (CIC) represents a major long-term complication in paediatric oncology patients, with conventional cardioprotective agents providing only limited efficacy. As survival rates improve, preserving cardiac function has become essential for ensuring quality of life in childhood cancer survivors (CCS). A multi-modal approach combining pharmacological agents, gene- and RNA-based technologies, cell therapies, and immune modulation holds great potential for long-term cardiac preservation. As paediatric-specific research advances, successful integration of these emerging strategies into standard care will require multidisciplinary collaboration, long-term monitoring, and ethical safeguards tailored to children. This narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of both established and novel strategies for preventing or reducing CIC in paediatric cancer patients, critically examining recent progress, assessing their efficacy and safety, and outlining key priorities for future research and clinical application.