Resource Library

Novel Life-Saving Radiotherapy Technology and How it Can be Made Available in the Developing World

Published: 26 June 2020.

Duvern Ramiah. “Novel Life-Saving Radiotherapy Technology and How it Can be Made Available in the Developing World”. Acta Scientific Cancer Biology 4.7 (2020): 24-26.

Baseline cardiovascular risk assessment in cancer patients scheduled to receive cardiotoxic cancer therapies

A Position Statement and new risk assessment tools from the Cardio‐Oncology Study Group of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology in collaboration with the International Cardio‐Oncology Society.

First published: 28 May 2020

This position statement from the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology Cardio‐Oncology Study Group in collaboration with the International Cardio‐Oncology Society presents practical, easy‐to‐use and evidence‐based risk stratification tools for oncologists, haemato‐oncologists and cardiologists to use in their clinical practice to risk stratify oncology patients prior to receiving cancer therapies known to cause heart failure or other serious cardiovascular toxicities. Baseline risk stratification proformas are presented for oncology patients prior to receiving the following cancer therapies: anthracycline chemotherapy, HER2‐targeted therapies such as trastuzumab, vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors, second and third generation multi‐targeted kinase inhibitors for CML targeting BCR‐ABL, multiple myeloma therapies (proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs), RAF and MEK inhibitors or androgen deprivation therapies. Applying these risk stratification proformas will allow clinicians to stratify cancer patients into low, medium, high and very high risk of cardiovascular complications prior to starting treatment, with the aim of improving personalised approaches to minimise the risk of cardiovascular toxicity from cancer therapies.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Cardio-Oncology Services: rationale, organization, and implementation: A report from the ESC Cardio-Oncology council

Abstract

Aims: Anticancer therapies have extended the lives of millions of patients with malignancies, but for some this benefit is tempered by adverse cardiovascular (CV) effects. Cardiotoxicity may occur early or late after treatment initiation or termination. The extent of this cardiotoxicity is variable, depending on the type of drug used, combination with other drugs, mediastinal radiotherapy, the presence of CV risk factors, and comorbidities. A recent position paper from the European Society of Cardiology addressed the management of CV monitoring and management of patients treated for cancer.