AccScience Publishing / BH / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/BH026220025
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PERSPECTIVE ARTICLE

The cardio–neuro–psycho–oncological axis in modern cellular and bispecific antibody therapies: A perspective on brain–heart interactions, autonomic vulnerability, and patient-centered monitoring

Anna Fleischer1*
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1 Department of Internal Medicine II, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
Brain & Heart, 026220025 https://doi.org/10.36922/BH026220025
Received: 28 May 2026 | Revised: 18 June 2026 | Accepted: 24 June 2026 | Published online: 17 July 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and T-cell-engaging bispecific antibodies have transformed hematologic oncology, but their toxicities frequently cross organ-based boundaries. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector cellassociated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), cardiovascular stress, autonomic dysregulation, sleep disruption, fatigue, and psychological distress may overlap in time and amplify one another. This perspective proposes a cardio–neuro–psycho–oncological framework for immune effector therapy. The model integrates inflammatory and endothelial activation, neurological and cognitive vulnerability, cardiovascular and autonomic regulation, and patient-reported burden. Rather than replacing established CRS and ICANS grading, it supports baseline risk stratification, longitudinal multimodal monitoring, actionable escalation pathways, and survivorship-oriented follow-up. It further distinguishes essential, recommended, and exploratory monitoring components and emphasizes therapy-specific monitoring needs, privacy-preserving implementation, workload-sensitive workflows, and prospective validation. Prospective studies should evaluate whether combined brain–heart–autonomic and patient-reported monitoring improves toxicity prediction, functional recovery, and quality of life as immune effector therapies move into broader patient populations.

Keywords
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy
Bispecific antibodies
Cytokine release syndrome
Immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome
Cardio–oncology
Autonomic dysfunction
Psycho–oncology
Patient-reported outcomes
Funding
Anna Fleischer was supported by the Clinician Scientist College TWINSIGHT at the Medical Faculty of the University of Würzburg, which is funded by the Else Kröner–Fresenius Foundation (TWINSIGHT-12).
Conflict of interest
The author declares no competing interests related to this manuscript.
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Brain & Heart, Electronic ISSN: 2972-4139 Published by AccScience Publishing