A scoping review on the nurse scientist role within healthcare systems.

BACKGROUND: The role of the nurse scientist in the clinical setting is not well defined, which contributes to variability in role implementation, scope, administration, funding, and affiliation across healthcare sites. AIMS: The aim of this scoping review was to identify attributes of the clinical nurse scientist role and its operationalization in the clinical setting through available evidence. METHODS: A comprehensive, computerized search of the literature in PubMed, Medline, and CINAHL was conducted in early May 2020 by a medical research librarian and repeated in July 2021 and April 2022. The 5-step framework described by Arskey and O'Malley guided the review methodology. Two reviewers conducted an independent screen of all articles, followed by a full-text review of eligible articles by two independent reviewers each using a standardized data extraction template. Themes were then organized and synthesized using descriptive content analysis from the included articles. RESULTS: A final sample of 55 full-text articles were included in the review. Overall, the findings suggest that the nurse scientist role in a clinical setting can be challenging to implement in complex healthcare environments. Successful models include the nurse scientist in a leadership role, alignment of research with institutional priorities, and strong support from senior leadership. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: Findings suggest that standardized guidelines are lacking to govern the implementation of the nurse scientist role in the clinical setting. To succeed, the nurse scientist role must be valued and supported by organizational leaders. Further, access to resources to build infrastructure must be provided. The magnitude and scope of individual organizational support can be tailored based on the resources of the institution; however, the foundation of having institutional leadership support is critical to role success of the clinical nurse researcher.

Consensus Building to Identify Nursing Research Priorities Among Oncology Nurses: A Delphi Study in a National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.

BACKGROUND: To advance oncology nursing science and clinical practice, researchers and clinicians must understand the important real-world concerns of nurses who provide direct care to people with cancer or manage processes that support patient care. OBJECTIVE: This study developed a comprehensive compendium of real-world concerns among oncology nurses and built consensus regarding their importance. METHODS: Using Delphi survey methodology, this prospective, descriptive study was performed in 3 phases: (1) identification of experts, defined as registered nurses (RNs) employed within a comprehensive cancer center; (2) qualitative content analysis of 353 responses from 267 RNs who responded to the question, "What do you see as nursing research concerns, problems, and/or issues on your unit or in your work environment that needs to be studied?"; and (3) rating the importance of 62 research themes identified from the qualitative content analysis (n = 247 RNs). RESULTS: The top research priority was patient safety followed by patient education, oncologic emergencies, patient expectations and adherence with care, team communication, patient psychosocial needs, patient-reported outcomes and quality of life, healthcare team burnout, workload, and nurse burnout. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the nursing discipline's fundamental focus on patient safety, the top-rated nursing research priority, along with other patient-related and work environment issues. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Oncology nursing is complex and complicated. This study identified and prioritized the real-world concerns, issues, and problems of oncology RNs who provide direct care or manage the processes that support care, supporting the need to focus on patient-related and work environment research.

Cardiovascular events after cancer immunotherapy as oncologic emergencies: Analyses of 610 head and neck cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Cardio-oncology and emergency medicine are closely collaborative, as many cardiac events in cancer patients require evaluation and treatment in the emergency department (ED). Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become a common treatment for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). However, the immune-related adverse events (irAEs) from ICIs can be clinically significant. METHODS: We reviewed and analyzed cardiovascular diagnoses among HNC patients who received ICI during the period April 1, 2016-December 31, 2020 in a large tertiary cancer center. Demographics, clinical and cancer-related data were abstracted, and billing databases were queried for cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related diagnosis using International Classification of Disease-version10 (ICD-10) codes. We recorded receipt of care at the ED as one of the outcome variables. RESULTS: A total of 610 HNC patients with a median follow-up time of 12.3 months (median, interquartile range = 5-30 months) comprised our study cohort. Overall, 25.7% of patients had pre-existing CVD prior to ICI treatment. Of the remaining 453 patients without pre-existing CVD, 31.5% (n = 143) had at least one CVD-related diagnosis after ICI initiation. Tachyarrhythmias (91 new events) was the most frequent CVD-related diagnosis after ICI. The time to diagnosis of myocarditis from initiation of ICI occurred the earliest (median 2.5 months, 1.5-6.8 months), followed by myocardial infarction (3.7, 0.5-9), cardiomyopathy (4.5, 1.6-7.3), and tachyarrhythmias (4.9, 1.2-11.4). Patients with myocarditis and tachyarrhythmias mainly presented to the ED for care. CONCLUSION: The use of ICI in HNC is still expanding and the spectrum of delayed manifestation of ICI-induced cardiovascular toxicities is yet to be fully defined in HNC survivors.

Cardio-Oncology Considerations in Oncologic Treatment Decisions.

At JADPRO Live Virtual 2021, presenter Anecita P. Fadol, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, emphasized the critical role advanced practitioners play in the identification, monitoring, and management of the cardiac complications of cancer therapy. Dr. Fadol's presentation discussed identification of the most common cardiotoxicities associated with cancer therapy, clinical considerations related to common oncologic treatments with potential cardiotoxicity that may impact cancer treatment decisions, and the management of common cardiovascular issues in patients with cancer.

Cardiovascular Adverse Events and Mitigation Strategies for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients Receiving Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy.

Cardiovascular (CV) risk mitigation is an important consideration in the management of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients. Although BCR-ABL1 inhibition by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) has led to a significant improvement in prognosis, the majority of CML patients will require indefinite TKI therapy. Given the success of therapy, there has been a shift in focus to include CV care as part of routine patient management. To optimize outcomes, both patient-specific comorbidities and a detailed understanding of the cardiotoxicity safety profiles imparted by each TKI should be considered during agent selection. Clinicians face the challenge of early detection and management of these cardiotoxicities while balancing the risk-benefit ratios of maintaining life-saving cancer therapy. Advanced practitioners play a critical role in CML patient management that extends to the recognition and management of TKI-associated side effects. They should be cognizant of the potential for TKI-associated cardiotoxicities along with appropriate baseline risk assessments, active surveillance, and mitigation strategies as part of a collaborative team effort with cardio-oncologists.

Cancer treatment-related cardiac dysfunction in breast cancer survivors: A retrospective descriptive study using electronic health records from a Korean tertiary hospital.

PURPOSE: The population overlap of breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) has increased due to early breast cancer detection and treatment and aging population trends. Moreover, breast cancer patients are at an increased risk for CVDs consequent to cancer treatments. We aimed to understand the characteristics of breast cancer patients with pre-existing CVDs and of those diagnosed with CVDs after receiving chemotherapy, and cancer treatment-related cardiac dysfunction's occurrence among Korean breast cancer patients with CVDs. METHODS: This retrospective descriptive study, which collected clinical data from electronic health records from a Korean tertiary hospital, included 1200 female breast cancer patients with CVDs, aged 15-75 years. RESULTS: A total of 45.7% had pre-existing CVDs, and 91.6% were classified as very high-risk for cardiotoxicity in the pre-existing CVDs group. Among the 1200 breast cancer patients with CVDs, only 439 patients had left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) data during their cancer treatment, and 121 received baseline assessment for LVEF. Of the 439 patients with LVEF data, 134 patients have been classified into cancer treatment-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD), and the median period from cancer diagnosis to CTRCD occurrence was 26.5 months. CONCLUSION: Despite the high cardiotoxicity risk of breast cancer patients with pre-existing CVDs, baseline studies of the risk assessment before chemotherapy were insufficient to support the prevention and early detection of cardiotoxicity. Therefore, it is paramount to consider how nurses focus on risk stratification before chemotherapy and support the regular monitoring of breast cancer survivors' cardiac functioning, to maintain optimal health status.

Palliative care referral criteria and outcomes in cancer and heart failure: a systematic review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Cardiotoxicity resulting in heart failure (HF) is among the most dreaded complications of cancer therapy and can significantly impact morbidity and mortality. Leading professional societies in cardiology and oncology recommend improved access to hospice and palliative care (PC) for patients with cancer and advanced HF. However, there is a paucity of published literature on the use of PC in cardio-oncology, particularly in patients with HF and a concurrent diagnosis of cancer. AIMS: To identify existing criteria for referral to and early integration of PC in the management of cases of patients with cancer and patients with HF, and to identify assessments of outcomes of PC intervention that overlap between patients with cancer and patients with HF. DESIGN: Systematic literature review on PC in patients with HF and in patients with cancer. DATA SOURCES: Databases including Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from January 2009 to September 2020. RESULTS: Sixteen studies of PC in cancer and 14 studies of PC in HF were identified after screening of the 8647 retrieved citations. Cancer and HF share similarities in their patient-reported symptoms, quality of life, symptom burden, social support needs, readmission rates, and mortality. CONCLUSION: The literature supports the integration of PC into oncology and cardiology practices, which has shown significant benefit to patients, caregivers, and the healthcare system alike. Incorporating PC in cardio-oncology, particularly in the management of HF in patients with cancer, as early as at diagnosis, will enable patients, family members, and healthcare professionals to make informed decisions about various treatments and end-of-life care and provide an opportunity for patients to participate in the decisions about how they will spend their final days.

An overview of a different type of cardio-oncology gathering: summary of the COMP (cardio-oncology multidisciplinary practice) meeting held in Houston Texas, January 2020.

An innovative Cardio-Oncology meeting was held in Houston, Texas in January of 2020. This gathering was intended to broaden the scope of Cardio-Oncology to include major presentations by clinicians and researchers beyond physicians, as well as to provide comprehensive reviews by established experts aimed at a variety of levels of professional practitioners. The unique perspective of this meeting is presented in the overview that follows. This overview is intended to contribute to a broader view of Cardio-Oncology, and to provide perspective for the expanding group of providers relative to their individual areas of expertise. These perspectives can and should be incorporated in cardio-oncology centers.

Validation of the Spanish version of the MD Anderson symptom inventory - heart failure (MDASI-HF-Spanish) module.

BACKGROUND: The lack of a validated symptom assessment instrument in Spanish for patients with cancer and heart failure (HF) can affect the care and impede the recruitment and participation of Spanish-speaking patients in clinical trials. Spanish is the second most common language spoken by the largest and most rapidly growing racial/ethnic minority group in the United States. To bridge the language barrier and improve symptom management in Spanish-speaking patients with cancer and HF, the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-Heart Failure (MDASI-HF) was translated to Spanish (MDASI-HF- Spanish). AIM: To validate the MDASI-HF-Spanish symptom assessment instrument. METHODS: Following standard forward and backward translation of the original and previously validated English version of the MDASI-HF, a cognitive debriefing with nine native Spanish speaking participants was conducted to evaluate the participants' understanding and comprehension of the MDASI-HF-Spanish. To examine the comprehensibility, acceptability and psychometric properties of the translated instrument, the MDASI-HF-Spanish was tested in a convenience sample of 50 Spanish speaking patients with a diagnosis of cancer and HF. Evidence for the psychometric validity of the MDASI-HF-Spanish was demonstrated via its internal consistency reliability and known-group validity. RESULTS: Overall, the participants had no problems with the understandability, readability, or number of questions asked. The MDASI-HF-Spanish subscales showed good internal consistency reliability, with a Cronbach's coefficient alpha of 0.94 (13 core cancer symptoms), 0.92 (8 heart failure symptoms), and 0.90 (6 interference items) respectively. The MDASI-HF-Spanish was able to differentiate the functional status between patients based on the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification. CONCLUSIONS: The MDASI-HF-Spanish is linguistically and psychometrically valid with ease of completion, relevance, and comprehensibility among the participants, and it can be a useful tool for clinical management and research purposes.

Feasibility and Outcomes of an Exercise Intervention for Chemotherapy-Induced Heart Failure.

PURPOSE: Cancer treatment-related heart failure (HF) is an emerging health concern, as the number of survivors is increasing rapidly, and cardiac health issues are a leading cause of mortality in this population. While there is general evidence for the efficacy of exercise rehabilitation interventions, more research is needed on exercise rehabilitation interventions for patients specifically with treatment-induced HF and whether such interventions are safe and well-accepted. This study provides feasibility and health outcomes of a pilot exercise intervention for cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced HF. METHODS: Twenty-five participants were randomized to a clinic-based exercise intervention or a wait-list control group or, alternatively, allowed to enroll in a home-based exercise intervention if they declined the randomized study. For purposes of analysis, both types of exercise programs were combined into a single intervention group. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to assess for significant time and treatment group main effects separately and time × treatment group interaction effects. RESULTS: Significant improvements in maximum oxygen uptake ((Equation is included in full-text article.)O2max) were observed in the intervention group. Intervention satisfaction and adherence were high for both clinic- and home-based interventions, with no reported serious adverse events. Enrollment was initially low for the clinic-based intervention, necessitating the addition of the home-based program as an intervention alternative. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that exercise rehabilitation interventions are feasible in terms of safety, retention, and satisfaction and have the potential to improve (Equation is included in full-text article.)O2max. To maximize adherence and benefits while minimizing participant burden, an ideal intervention may incorporate elements of both clinic-based supervised exercise sessions and a home-based program.

A quality improvement approach to reducing hospital readmissions in patients with cancer and heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The management of patients with cancer and concurrent heart failure (HF) is challenging. The increased complexity of treatment and the occurrence of multiple overlapping symptoms may lead to frequent hospital admissions, which may result in cancer treatment delays, a diminished quality of life, and an increased financial burden for the patient's family. To provide holistic care to oncology patients with HF, we implemented the Heart Success Program (HSP), a patient-centered, interprofessional collaborative practice, which decreased the 30-day hospital readmission rate for HF diagnosis from 40 to 27%. However, this rate remains higher than that reported for Medicare beneficiaries. AIM: To identify the factors contributing to frequent readmissions, the HSP committee participated in the institution's Clinical Safety and Effectiveness and utilize quality improvement methodologies and tools to decrease hospital readmission for HF. METHODS: The DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) method was used to guide this quality improvement. Areas considered as having high impact and requiring low effort to address were patient education barriers, lack of documentation clarity, and care provider knowledge gaps about the HSP. We implemented workflow changes, improved clarity with documentation of HF diagnosis, and increase provider knowledge about the HSP. FINDINGS: After 6 months of implementing quality improvement techniques, the 30-day hospital readmission rate for HF patients fell by 23.43% (from 31.7% for the baseline period to 8.27%), exceeding the target project goal of 10%. Our quality improvement method may also be effective in improving the management of patients with cancer and other comorbid conditions.

Psychometric testing of the MDASI-HF: a symptom assessment instrument for patients with cancer and concurrent heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The debilitating symptoms of cancer and heart failure (HF) can adversely affect the patient's quality of life. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory--Heart Failure (MDASI-HF), a 27-item self-report assessment instrument for patients with cancer and concurrent HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Psychometric testing used data from 156 patients (age 63.3 +/- 13.2 years, 56% male) with a diagnosis of cancer and HF receiving care in a major cancer center. Reliability of the MDASI-HF for the 13 symptoms (alpha = 0.89), 8 HF-specific items (alpha = 0.83), and interference items (alpha = 0.92) was high. Criterion-related validity with the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance scale (r = 0.63) and the New York Heart Association classification (r = 0.65) were statistically significant, P = .01. Construct validity supported two constructs for the additional HF specific items: covert HF factor and overt HF factor. CONCLUSION: The MDASI-HF is a valid and reliable instrument for symptom assessment in patients with cancer and HF. This instrument can be used to identify symptom occurrence and enhance the provider's understanding of the prevalence and severity of symptoms from the patient's perspective.

Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Left Ventricular Dysfunction and Heart Failure in Patients With Cancer While Undergoing Cancer Treatment: The MD Anderson Practice.

Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity resulting in heart failure (HF) is one of the most dreaded complications of cancer therapy that can significantly impact morbidity and mortality. With a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease in cancer patients, the risk of developing HF is significantly increased. A new discipline of Onco-Cardiology has evolved to address the cardiovascular needs of patients with cancer, however, there is limited evidence-based data to guide clinical decision-making in the management of the cardiovascular complications of cancer therapy. The department of cardiology at MD Anderson Cancer Center initiated the MD Anderson Practice (MAP) project and developed algorithms to guide the management of the cardiovascular complications of cancer therapy. For chemotherapy-induced HF, we initiated the Heart Success Program (HSP), a patient-centered program that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration for the management of concurrent HF resulting from chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity. After one year of HSP implementation, compliance with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services HF core measures has significantly improved. The measurement of LVEF and initiation of recommended pharmacologic therapy for HF (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor [ACE-I] or angiotensin receptor blocker for ACE-I intolerant patients) has improved to 100%; provision of discharge instruction has improved from 50 to 94%; and the 30-day hospital readmission rate decreased from 40 to 27%. This article will describe the MD Anderson Practice in the management of chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy and HF in cancer patients through the HSP. The novelty of the HSP has raised clinician's awareness of the magnitude of the clinical problem of HF in cancer and the.

Addressing the Symptom Management Gap in Patients With Cancer and Heart Failure Using the Interactive Voice Response System: A Pilot Study.

Patients with cancer and concurrent heart failure (HF) have severe symptoms that may adversely affect patients' quality of life in addition to limiting effective anticancer therapy. A system of frequent monitoring could alert clinicians, providing the opportunity for timely intervention before patients become severely ill and require hospitalization. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate if the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-Heart Failure (MDASI-HF) instrument preprogrammed via the interactive voice response system (IVRS) can be used to collect symptom data that will generate symptom alerts to providers based on preset severity levels. Twenty-six patients were enrolled in the study. Symptoms were monitored using the MDASI-HF delivered via IVRS on a weekly basis for 3 months. When a participant's reported symptom(s) reached critical predetermined threshold levels, an alert prompted the nurse to triage the patient's response and initiate interventions per protocol. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the ratings of symptom severity and symptom interference with daily function. Demographic and disease characteristics were summarized using means, standard deviations, ranges, count, and proportions. Paired t-tests were used to examine symptom reduction from baseline to the end of 3 months. Fourteen (54%) participants completed the study with average IVRS usage rates of 84% at 1 month and 82% at 3 months. Over the course of the IVRS monitoring, 152 IVRS calls were completed and 107 critical threshold alerts were generated, prompting physician notification, medication titration, and non-routine clinic visits. Most of these alerts were managed by telephone, particularly those related to diuretic titration, and prevented hospital readmission. Symptom monitoring via the IVRS can potentially bridge the gap in symptom management to improve clinical outcomes in patients with cancer and HF. The IVRS can be of benefit in the symptom management of patients, especially those constrained by geographic location. This can potentially improve the quality of care, patient satisfaction, and quality of life of these patients.

The Use of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Cancer Patients with Heart Failure.

OBJECTIVES: Investigate the use of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in cancer patients with heart failure (HF); assess factors associated with ischemic and non-ischemic HF. BACKGROUND: Many newer cancer therapies are cardiotoxic; thus, the incidence of HF has been increasing in this high-risk patient population. CRT has beneficial effects on morbidity, mortality, and left ventricular function in patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, yet cancer patients and survivors who develop severe HF and are eligible for CRT often do not receive it. METHODS: Review of 2 years of echocardiography and electrocardiography data from cancer patients. RESULTS: Of 272 patients meeting inclusion criteria for CRT placement (LVEF ≤35%, QRS duration ≥120 ms), 131 (48.2%) had HF with ischemic etiology and 141 (51.8%) had HF with non-ischemic etiology. Most patients had solid tumors, including breast, lung, sarcoma, and lymphoma (73.2%, n=199). Only 21.3% (58/272; 27 ischemic; 31 non-ischemic) underwent CRT placement, who were mostly women and those with solid tumors. Non-ischemic HF was significantly associated with younger age (<65 years) (OR=0.91; 95% CI=0.87-0.95) and female sex (OR=2.5; 95% CI=1.1-6.0). As expected, ischemic HF was significantly associated with history of myocardial infarction, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: CRT is underutilized in cancer patients with HF. Most of the cancer patients who did not receive CRT had non-ischemic HF secondary to chemotherapy. CRT may be less utilized in those patients due to shortened life expectancy, yet evidence suggests that CRT has beneficial effects on morbidity, mortality, and left ventricular function. Its use may improve patient quality of life and allow oncologists to continue cancer treatments that could prolong survival.

A Psychometric Evaluation of the Chinese Version of the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Heart Failure in Chinese Cancer Patients With Concurrent Heart Failure.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to translate the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Heart Failure (MDASI-HF), a specific instrument to assess symptoms in cancer patients with concurrent heart failure (HF), into Mandarin Chinese and to examine its psychometric properties in Chinese cancer patients. DESIGN: A translation and psychometric evaluation design was used. METHODS: The translation of the MDASI-HF into Mandarin Chinese followed Brislin's model with the four steps: translation, monolingual assessment, backward translation, and comparison. The Chinese version MDASI-HF was tested among 135 cancer patients with concurrent HF from a cancer hospital in Tianjin, China. Psychometric properties of content validity, internal consistency, test- retest reliability, concurrent validity, and sensitivity of the instrument were evaluated. FINDINGS: The Cronbach's α was .913 for the core items, .835 for the HF items, and .897 for the interference items. The test-retest reliability was satisfactory with intraclass coefficients > .9 and content validity index was .94. The Chinese version MDASI-HF was significantly correlated with the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance grade (correlation coefficients .456-.600) and the New York Heart Association classification (correlation coefficients .477-.631), indicating the established concurrent validity of the translated instrument. CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese version MDASI-HF is a valid and reliable instrument to assess the symptoms of Chinese cancer patients with concurrent HF. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Symptom assessment and management play important roles in cancer rehabilitation. The Chinese version MDASI-HF can assist appropriate and timely symptom assessment in cancer patients with concurrent HF and can promote communication between healthcare professionals and patients. On the basis of the assessment, the rehabilitation team could provide effective symptom management, evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, and improve patients' quality of life.

Pregnancy in a patient with cancer and heart failure: challenges and complexities.

A 24-year-old African American female (L.R.) with a history of smoking and gestational diabetes was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. She received multiple chemotherapies, including six cycles of ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine), followed by radiation therapy to left inguinal areas for a total of 30.6 Gy in 17 fractions; she obtained complete remission. Two years later, L.R. had disease relapse in the mediastinum and received two cycles of ESHAP (etoposide, methylprednisolone, high-dose cytarabine, cisplatin) followed by etoposide and ifosfamide. She then received BEAM (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan) as a conditioning regimen and underwent autologous bone marrow transplant. Her post-transplant course was complicated by cytomegalovirus antigenemia, aspergillus pneumonia, and congestive heart failure with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 20%-25%. She was treated with an ACE inhibitor (lisinopril) and a beta-blocker (carvedilol) with improvement of her LVEF to 30%-35%. A follow-up chest x-ray showed an increase in the size of the anterior mediastinal adenopathy suspicious for relapse of lymphoma, and at the same time she was also found to be 5 weeks pregnant. Given her cardiomyopathy, significant obesity, poorly controlled diabetes, and cancer recurrence, L.R. was advised by her gynecologist that the pregnancy was very high risk and might not be viable. The oncologists advised her to terminate the pregnancy within the first trimester, as she needed salvage radiotherapy treatment to the mediastinum and chemotherapy treatments that might endanger the fetus. However, the patient decided to continue with the pregnancy. A multidisciplinary team-which included a cardiologist, oncologist, high-risk obstetrician, pharmacist, and nurse practitioner-was then involved to provide care during the pregnancy. A social worker was also solicited to help with home and financial issues because L.R. was a single mother with a 2-year-old son. L.R. was treated with carvedilol and furosemide, with monthly cardiology clinical follow-up during the first and second trimesters, then every 2 weeks starting with the 28th week, and weekly thereafter until delivery. Between visits, she notified the clinic for symptoms of heart failure exacerbation and was seen as necessary. The possible in utero effects of both medications were discussed with the patient. L.R. had a normal uncomplicated pregnancy and delivered a 6-pound, 10-ounce healthy boy at 39 weeks via vaginal delivery and was discharged home 2 days later. A week after delivery, L.R. presented to the cardiology clinic in good spirits and was excited to show pictures of her newborn baby. She had no cardiac complaints and the repeat echocardiogram showed an unchanged LVEF of 30%-35%.

Cardiac dysfunction after cancer treatment.

Onco-cardiology is an evolving discipline that requires the consideration of cardiotoxicity in preclinical, clinical,and therapeutic aspects of protocol development,treatment, and surveillance of patients who have undergone interventions using cardiotoxic agents. Only then can we foster new ways to maximize survival while keeping cardiac damage within acceptable limits. It is to this end that our working together has brought us to our present understanding. In the future, we may expect onco-cardiology to play an even greater role in the care of cancer patients.