Abstract
BackgroundCardio-Oncology (CO) is a new subspecialty that thrives mostly in large academic quaternary centers. This study describes how to establish a successful cardio-oncology program, with limited resources, in order to effectively manage the unique care required by this patient population.MethodsClinical data was collected from 25 consecutive months. There were four foundational elements to establish a CO program: 1. Clinical program: integrating staff and resources from the Heart and Vascular, and Cancer Centers; 2. Education Program: establishing a platform to educate/advocate with respect to CO; 3. Engagement with professional societies: active engagement allowed for the successful establishment of the proposed CO program; and 4. Research program: establishing data collection modalities/cooperation with other institutions.Results474 consecutive patients were treated by our CO program during the first 25 months of operation. Clinical data, information about cancer treatment, cardiovascular co morbidities, cardiac testing and impact of CO management are reported.ConclusionsA successful CO program can be established utilizing existing resources without the need for significant additional assets. Integration with professional societies, advocacy, education and research, provide a platform for learning and growth. This model improves access to care and can be reproduced in a variety of settings.
Highlights
Cardio-Oncology (CO) is a new subspecialty that thrives mostly in large academic quaternary centers
There are currently 16 million cancer survivors in the United States [1], and one-quarter of them may die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) [2]
* Correspondence: SADLERD@ccf.org 1Cleveland Clinic Florida, Heart and Vascular Center, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Blvd, Weston, FL 33331, USA Full list of author information is available at the end of the article. For those patients with access to effective cancer treatments and declining cancer mortality, CVD management becomes critical to improve outcomes and reduce overall mortality [3, 4]. It is in this subset of patients where cardio oncology may have its greatest impact
Summary
Cardio-Oncology (CO) is a new subspecialty that thrives mostly in large academic quaternary centers. The importance of the cardiovascular care for these patients is increasingly recognized For those patients with access to effective cancer treatments and declining cancer mortality, CVD management becomes critical to improve outcomes and reduce overall mortality [3, 4]. It is in this subset of patients where cardio oncology may have its greatest impact. There are multiple factors that may lead to decreased healthcare access and poor clinical outcomes for many of these patients, including: the lack of knowledge regarding the association between cancer and heart disease, lack of early detection of potentially cardio-toxic effects of certain cancer-related treatments, the prevalence of an aging population amongst cancer survivors [5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
