Letter to the Editor

Proposing and Meeting the Need for Interdisciplinary Cardio-oncology Subspecialty Training

As cancer therapies increase in effectiveness and patients' life expectancies improve, balancing oncologic efficacy while reducing acute and long-term cardiovascular toxicities has become of paramount importance. To address this pressing need, the Cardiology Oncology Innovation Network (COIN) was formed to bring together domain experts with the overarching goal of collaboratively investigating, applying, and educating widely on various forms of innovation to improve the quality of life and cardiovascular healthcare of patients undergoing and surviving cancer therapies. The COIN mission pillars of innovation, collaboration, and education have been implemented with cross-collaboration among academic institutions, private and public establishments, and industry and technology companies. In this report, we summarize proceedings from the first two annual COIN summits (inaugural in 2020 and subsequent in 2021) including educational sessions on technological innovations for establishing best practices and aligning resources. Herein, we highlight emerging areas for innovation and defining unmet needs to further improve the outcome for cancer patients and survivors of all ages. Additionally, we provide actionable suggestions for advancing innovation, collaboration, and education in cardio-oncology in the digital era.

Cardiovascular disease and cancer are the 2 main causes of death in the United States. They intersect on multiple levels, sharing common causal mechanisms and epidemiological risk factors. The growing prevalence and complexity of cardiovascular disease and cancer have resulted in the development of the discipline of cardio-oncology. Preparing the cardiovascular workforce for the care of a growing population of cancer patients is necessary to enhance the delivery of high-quality cardiovascular care for patients with cancer. The goal of this review is to present the dedicated efforts of the cardio-oncology community to meet the growing need for education and training of cardiovascular practitioners providing care to cancer patients and survivors. Integration in general cardiology training programs and the efforts of the stakeholder organizations serve as an example of how a multidimensional, innovative approach can address provider education and training needs in a relatively new discipline.

Cardiotoxicity is now the second leading cause of long-term morbidity and mortality among cancer survivors. The discipline of cardio-oncology has developed in response to the combined decision-making necessary to optimize the care of patients with cancer, whether they are receiving active treatment or are long-term survivors after successful treatment. Collaboration between cardiologists, oncologists, and allied healthcare professionals who provide cancer care is essential. The clinical care and support of patients during, and following their cancer therapy remains our primary goal; education of patients and healthcare providers is essential in order to empower individuals and healthcare providers with the knowledge needed to deliver the best cancer therapies while optimizing cardiovascular health. Development of educational programs with established expectations in cardio-oncology will facilitate early exposure of trainees to this field and lead to the next generation of cardio-oncologists.