The Importance of Primary Care in Cardio-Oncology

Opinion statement There is significant interplay between cancer and cardiovascular disease involving shared risk factors, cross disease communication where cardiovascular events can influence cancer recurrence, and mortality rates and cardiotoxicity from cancer treatments with resultant increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in cancer patients. This is a major cause of death in many long-term cancer survivors. As a result, cardio-oncology, which involves the prevention, early detection, and optimal treatment of cardiovascular disease in patients treated for cancer, is expanding globally. However, there is still limited awareness of its importance and limited application of the lessons already learnt. Primary care physicians, and their clinical teams, especially nursing colleagues, have a foundation role in the management of all patients, and this paper outlines areas where they can lead in the cardio-oncology management of cancer patients. Although there is currently a lack of an adequate clinical framework or shared care plan, primary care physicians have a role to play in the various phases of cancer treatment: pre-therapy, during therapy, and survivorship.

Automated summary

There is significant interplay between cancer and cardiovascular disease, with shared risk factors and potential influence of cardiovascular events on cancer patients' survival rates. Cardio-toxicity from cancer treatments can increase cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in cancer patients. Cardio-oncology plays a crucial role in the prevention, early detection, and treatment of cardiovascular disease in cancer patients globally. Primary care physicians have a foundation role in managing cancer patients, despite the current lack of adequate clinical framework.