Development and Implementation of Cardio-oncology Services at the National Center for Cancer Care and Research and...

cardiovascular disease and cancer are two leading causes of mortality worldwide. Advances in cancer therapy have improved survival but increased the risk of treatment-related cardiotoxicity. In response, the National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) and Heart Hospital (HH) established a dedicated strategic plan for the development of cardio-oncology service in 2015 to address the prevention, early detection, and management of cardiotoxicity through a multidisciplinary approach in Qatar.

The objective of this study was to describe the development and implementation of the cardio-oncology service at NCCCR and HH.

A retrospective descriptive study with a mixed-methods approach was conducted. Quantitative data were extracted from the electronic health records for all patients seen in the Cardio-Oncology Clinic during two key phases of service delivery: HH (January 2019 to August 2020) and NCCCR (September 2020 to July 2023). Descriptive qualitative data were obtained from informal staff feedback and clinical observations.

Between 2019 and 2023, 4197 patients attended the cardio-oncology clinics (1524 at HH and 2673 at NCCCR), with 77%-82% being noncitizens. Breast cancer was the most common diagnosis (48%), reflecting its high prevalence and cardiotoxic treatment profile. A total of 5289 echocardiographic studies were performed. In 2023, 494 cardiovascular events were recorded, but therapy was held in three cases (0.06%) due to significant cardiotoxicity. Service expansion included the introduction of a clinical nurse specialist-led clinic and a dedicated echocardiography unit.

cardio-oncology program demonstrates that early, structured cardiac surveillance within a multidisciplinary framework can effectively minimize therapy interruptions and optimize cancer patient outcomes.