Anticancer therapies have improved outcomes for cancer patients from their diagnosis through to survivorship. For some patients however this benefit may be associated with adverse cardiovascular risks and can have a profound impact on morbidity and mortality.
Chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction is well documented for antineoplastic agents such as anthracyclines, however newer targeted therapies and immunotherapies are emerging as a causative factor.
Cardiovascular disease particularly heart failure are thought to be strongly related to cancer. As one of the leading cancer service specialists in the UK seeing more than 5000 newly diagnosed cancer patients per year it was felt necessary to establish a cardio-oncology service at Cambridge University Hospital (CUH) in order to improve the overall care of the patient.
Part of the interdisciplinary team is the oncology pharmacist. The role was defined with two clear necessary elements: Firstly to provide background information on each patient referred to the service to establish treatments received, doses and timelines, secondly to undertake patient consultations within the cardio-oncology clinic to support the cardiologists in managing the patients treatment, primarily medication adjustments and evaluation of symptoms and/or adverse effects of newly initiated cardiology medications.
