Cardio-oncology: what you need to know now for clinical practice and echocardiography

Cardio-oncology is a rapidly growing field aimed at minimizing the effects of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors. To meet this aim, patients are assessed at baseline to define their risk of cardiotoxicity and then followed closely during and after chemotherapy to assess for early signs or symptoms of cardiovascular disease. Cardiac imaging, and in particular, transthoracic echocardiography, plays an essential role in the baseline assessment and serial follow-up of cardio-oncology patients. The objectives of this paper are to review the mechanisms of cardiotoxicity of several common chemotherapeutic agents associated with an increased risk for left ventricular systolic dysfunction and to outline recommendations regarding the baseline assessment and serial follow-up of cardio-oncology patients with a focus on the role of echocardiography.