In an effort to combat the evolving difficulties that encompass the cardiovascular care of patients with cancer and cancer survivors, ACC.15 is debuting a special Cardio-Oncology Intensive Session that recognizes the growth and complexity of a field that spans different cardiology subspecialties, cardiac team members and diverse oncology areas.

“The aim of this intensive is to use new methods to discuss highly relevant clinical questions in the cardiovascular care of cancer patients,” says Bonnie Ky, MD, intensive co-chair. “We have carefully designed this experience to involve many of the world’s leading experts in cardio-oncology and have specifically incorporated key clinical questions facing us today as we care for this growing population.”

Among the clinical questions to be addressed and answered will be insights into the identification of patients at high cardiovascular risk, planned cancer treatment and cardioprotective strategies prior, during and after cancer therapy, and cardiotoxic regiments used in cancer treatment. Presenters will also provide a “how-to” of clinical practice in cardio-oncology in building a multi-disciplinary care program, imaging program and survivorship program.

“I believe that some of the biggest challenges lay in our traditional approach to patients as ‘oncology’ or ‘cardiology’ patients,” says Ana Barac, MD, PhD, session co-chair of the session. “The cardiology community has a wealth of clinical documents and guidelines to diagnose, follow, treat and prevent hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary disease and cardiomyopathies, and oncologists have detailed guidelines in managing diverse forms of cancer, but when it comes to a patient who has cardiovascular disease, or develops one, while being treated for cancer, or as a consequence of cancer treatment, our resources are extremely limited.”

She adds that the challenge lies in creating high-level data and evidence to guide how to approach and treat this complex group of patients, suffering from two most common diseases today. “We talk about a comprehensive approach to the patient, not the disease, all the time, but we are at a very early stage of an ideal setting where interdisciplinary teams would work seamlessly in creating evidence and guidance for this approach,” Barac explains. “Professional societies have critical roles in achieving this comprehensive care goal by providing a framework for collaborative activities within and across different disciplines that will lead to advancement of clinical care, guideline development, and dissemination of knowledge through education and training. With this Cardio-Oncology Intensive, the ACC and its cardio-oncology working group can bring key health care providers and partners together for important discussions of current practices, challenges and future goals.”

Keywords: ACC Annual Scientific Session, Cardiomyopathies, Cardiovascular Diseases, Coronary Disease, Hyperlipidemias, Hypertension, Neoplasms, Patient Care Planning, Risk Factors, Survival Rate, Sorbitol, Stroke Volume, Sulfonamides, Thrombosis, Troponin T, ACC Annual Scientific Session, Cardiotoxicity

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