Abstract
Improved cancer survivorship has led to an increase in cardiovascular (CV) complications
in the oncologic population, mainly associated with therapeutic regimens. Hence, cardio-oncology
has grown toward unifying the cancer care process in which the best prevention, early
detection, treatment, and CV surveillance are offered to patients. This multidisciplinary
approach allows us to optimize and agree upon clinical decisions to enhance clinical
outcomes. Atrial fibrillation is one of the hot topics in the field because it is
still challenging in cancer patients. The optimal antithrombotic therapy remains unclear.
Nevertheless, evidence supports that specific recommendations are needed due to a
hemorrhagic/thrombotic disbalance present within this subgroup of patients and a low
rate of anticoagulation treatments compared with the general population. Further,
cardiotoxicity management is currently transforming. Increasingly, early detection
of subclinical alterations is raising awareness. When medical therapy is initiated
early, fewer patients progress to ventricular dysfunction and the rate of patients
completing cancer therapy gradually increases. New approaches are demonstrating better
outcomes and these strategies will expectedly be established in clinical practice.
Cardio-oncology enables us to find the best balance between cancer treatment and CV
health protection. Nowadays, more and more physicians are being instructed in this
discipline, which gradually exhibits a greater presence in conferences and scientific
journals. However, given the need for physicians thoroughly trained in cardio-oncology,
this subspecialty must be promoted further.
Keywords
Cardio-oncology - multidisciplinary approach - cardiotoxicity - atrial fibrillation
