Aaron Sverdlov, Professor and Director of Heart Failure at University of Newcastle, Member Board of Directors at International Cardio-Oncology Society, shared on LinkedIn:
“Looking forward to the first webinar in the new Australian International Cardio-Oncology Society series tomorrow evening, with Erin Howden and me chairing and Shiang Lim and Joshua D. Bennetts presenting.7:30 pm AEDT.
Erin Howden, Associate Professor Exercise Physiology at UNSW, shared:
“Join us this Wednesday (AEST 19:30pm) for the very first Australian hosted International Cardio-Oncology Society webinar.
Delighted to be chairing this session with Aaron Sverdlov and hearing from two of the leaders in the field from Australia – Prof. Shiang Lim and Dr. Joshua Bennetts. Please join us, registration is free.”
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The International Cardio-Oncology Society (IC-OS) operates in Australia primarily through the IC-OS Australia Chapter and the Australian Cardio-Oncology Research and Education Symposium (ACORES).
Cardio-oncology is a rapidly evolving medical subspecialty dedicated to protecting the heart health of patients undergoing cancer treatments and minimizing lifelong cardiovascular risks for cancer survivors.
The training spans across specific treatments and their physical effects on the cardiovascular system:
- Treatment-Induced Cardiotoxicity: Deep dives into how therapies like radiotherapy, anthracycline chemotherapy, targeted biological therapies, and modern immunotherapies physically damage or strain heart tissues.
- High-Risk Cancer Profiles: Specialized focus on cancer types with recognized cardiac risks, particularly breast cancer treatments, leukemia/lymphoma therapies, and newer melanoma therapies.
- Cardiovascular Complications: Managing and diagnosing therapy-related heart issues such as myocarditis (heart inflammation), heart failure, arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), and accelerated coronary artery disease.
Rather than just teaching theory, the curriculum focuses on clinical tools that doctors can use immediately in the hospital:
- Risk Stratification: Teaching clinicians how to screen a oncology patient before they start chemo to evaluate their existing heart risks.
- Early Monitoring Protocols: Implementing uniform tracking systems (like advanced echocardiograms or blood biomarkers) to detect subtle heart damage before clinical heart failure occurs.
- Cardioprotective Strategies: When and how to use preventive heart medications (like specific beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors) to shield the heart muscle during rigorous oncology protocols.
- Long-Term Survivorship Care: Creating specialized programs and “Survivor Passports” so that once a patient beats cancer, their long-term primary care doctors know how to look after their heart years down the line.
The most unique aspect of the Australian chapter’s training focuses on the logistics of medical teamwork. Local pioneers teach clinicians how to successfully build a Cardio-Oncology service from scratch within Australian hospitals.
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Other articles about Cardio-Oncology on OncoDaily.