Advances in cancer treatment have improved clinical outcomes, leading to an increasing
population of cancer survivors. Yet, this success is associated with high rates of
short- and long-term cardiovascular (CV) toxicities. The number and variety of cancer
drugs and CV toxicity types make long-term care a complex undertaking. This requires
a multidisciplinary approach including expertise from oncology, cardiology, and other
related specialties, and has led to the development of the cardio-oncology subspecialty.
This paper aims to provide an overview of the main adverse events, risk assessment
and risk mitigation strategies, early diagnosis, medical and complementary strategies
for prevention and management, and long-term follow-up strategies for patients at
risk of cancer therapy-related cardiotoxicities. Research is highly needed to better
define strategies for early identification, follow-up, and management. While the academic
cardio-oncology community may be the best vehicle to foster awareness and research
in this field, additional stakeholders (industry, government agencies, and patient
organizations) have to be involved to facilitate cross-disciplinary interactions and
help in the design and funding of cardio-oncology trials. The overarching goal of
cardio-oncology is to assist clinicians in providing optimal care for patients with
cancer and for cancer survivors, to provide insight into future areas of research
and to search for collaborations with industry, funding bodies, and patient advocates.
However, many unmet needs remain. This document is the product of brainstorming presentations
and active discussions held at the Cardiovascular Round Table (CRT) workshop organised
in January 2020 by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). This article is protected
by copyright. All rights reserved.
