ABSTRACT
Mortality rates due to cancer have decreased over the last 30 years owing to improvements in early detection strategies, improved surgical approaches and advances in cancer treatments. However, established and novel treatments such as anthracyclines, HER-2-targeted agents, and immunotherapy, used in the treatment of a wide range of cancers, are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular injury including cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Cancer therapy related cardiac dysfunction, if not recognized and treated early, may lead to significant long-term cardiac morbidity and mortality, negating the positive survival gains made with modern cancer treatment. In this chapter, we review the cardiovascular toxicities of traditional and novel cancer treatments, which led to the emergence of cardio-oncology as a new discipline of medicine. The establishment of cardio-oncology societies and the development of cardio-oncology clinics and programs is also discussed. Finally, we explore our current understanding of clinical care, education, and research in cardio-oncology, topics that are covered more extensively in subsequent chapters of this book.
