Background
In the coming years there will probably be a cardio-oncology ‘epidemic’ due to either the growing population of cancer survivors, the increasing number of patients aged over 65 who need chronic cancer therapy and the high frequency of cancer therapy induced CVDs in these populations. The main goal of cardio-oncology is to reduce the burden of CVDs in oncologic patients allowing them to receive the best antitumour therapy (chemotherapy, targeted molecular therapies, hormone therapy, immunotherapy or radiotherapy) with the lowest rate of side effects and treatment interruptions.
Consequently, the ESC created the Council of Cardio-Oncology in August 2018 as a multidisciplinary constituent body which encourages the prevention, early diagnosis and management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular diseases.
ESC Councils' Internal Governance Procedures
Who we are
- Over 1,800 members worldwide
- 25 volunteers in the Council of Cardio-Oncology Board
Our vision
Our aims are to bring together European & non-European specialists in the field and specialists from oncology, haematology, radiotherapy and related disciplines to improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular diseases and enhance the standard of care for cardio-oncology patients.
We work in line with the ESC Strategic Pillars: Advocacy, Congresses, Research, Membership and Education.
What we do
The Council is active in a number of areas, including :
- producing cardio-oncology educational content including webinars and articles
- writing position papers and consensus statements on aspects of cardio-oncology
- developing the programme for the cardio-oncology sessions for ESC Congress and contributing to other ESC subspecialty congresses
- collaborating with the ESC Advocacy Division to help shape the EU's beating cancer plan.
- producing a regular newsletter for members
Activity Reports
Read the 2019-2020 Activity Report from the Council of Cardio-Oncology
Membership - Top reasons to join the Council
- Cardio-oncology is a relatively new subspecialty involving all fields of cardiology from ventricular dysfunction to coronary heart disease to arrhythmic issues to vascular complications. Sooner or later you will find a patient with concomitant cancer and cardiac diseases and you will be requested to know at least the essentials of this condition.
- Cancer incidence and survivorship has greatly increased, leading to a high prevalence of cancer patient survivors. The same for cardiovascular diseases. The probability of encountering patients with both conditions will become more and more frequent in your practice.
- The long survivorship after cancer therapy may often allow cardiovascular toxicities to spread after a long time, more than 10 or 20 years, to reach a clinic presentation. The correct diagnosis and also an active screening and research of these cardiovascular conditions may be a cardiologist's task in upcoming years.
Membership is free.
Our mission: To reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.