Cardio-oncology is becoming an important public health priority in Belgium. Today, an estimated 200,000 people are living five years after a cancer diagnosis, with cardiovascular disease being one of their leading long-term risks – often persisting many years after the cancer has been cured.
There is growing evidence that cancer and cardiovascular disease frequently coexist, as they share common risk factors such as age, smoking, obesity and inactivity. Anticancer treatments also play a key role. They can cause both early and delayed cardiotoxicities. While some of these effects are well recognized, the expanding use of novel cancer therapies has led to an increase in unexpected cardiac complications.
Together, these challenges highlight the need for a dedicated and rapidly evolving field: cardio-oncology, which integrates specialized expertise, advanced diagnostics and close collaboration between cardiology and oncology to improve long-term cardiovascular health in patients with cancer.
The Belgian Council on Cardio-Oncology was created in February 2020 to stimulate research, teaching, knowledge exchange and educational activities nationwide, with a focus on both acute and longterm cardiovascular complications of cancer treatments.
The Council is a constituent body of the Belgian Society of Cardiology (BSC) and gathers experts from Belgian universities and other hospitals’ cardiology and medical oncology /hematology departments.
In addition, it aims at harmonizing the care of the patients suffering from cardiac toxicities related to anticancer treatments through the transposition of international guidelines into local protocols.
Reference: Lancellotti P, De Pauw M, Claeys M. Cardio-oncology: where do we stand for in Belgium? Acta Cardiologica 2020:1-5.
Cardiologist, UZ Antwerpen
Cardiologist, UZ Brussel
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