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This position statement from the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology Cardio-Oncology Study Group in collaboration with the International Cardio-Oncology Society presents practical, easy-to-use and evidence-based risk stratification tools for oncologists, haemato-oncologists and cardiologists to use in their clinical practice to risk stratify oncology patients prior to receiving cancer therapies known to cause heart failure or other serious cardiovascular toxicities. Baseline risk stratification proformas are presented for oncology patients prior to receiving the following cancer therapies: anthracycline chemotherapy, HER2-targeted therapies such as trastuzumab, vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors, second and third generation multi-targeted kinase inhibitors for chronic myeloid leukaemia targeting BCR-ABL, multiple myeloma therapies (proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs), RAF and MEK inhibitors or androgen deprivation therapies. Applying these risk stratification proformas will allow clinicians to stratify cancer patients into low, medium, high and very high risk of cardiovascular complications prior to starting treatment, with the aim of improving personalised approaches to minimise the risk of cardiovascular toxicity from cancer therapies.

Aims Cardio-oncology clinics optimise the cardiovascular status of cancer patients but there is a limited description of their structure, case mix, activity and results. The purpose of this paper is to describe the activity and outcomes of a cardio-oncology service, particularly with respect to supporting optimal cancer treatment and survival. Methods and results We prospectively studied patients referred to our service from February 2011 to February 2016. New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and parameters of cardiac function were measured at baseline and after optimisation by our service. Up-titration of cardiac treatment, continuation of cancer therapy and mortality were used as outcome measures. Of the 535 patients (55.8% females) referred, rates of cardiotoxicity for anthracyclines, anti-HER2 agents and tyrosine kinase inhibitors were 75.8%, 69.8% and 62.1%, respectively. Patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) (n=128) were younger, had higher rates of hypertension and previous exposure to chemotherapy/radiotherapy (P < 0.001). At a median follow-up of 360 days, 93.8% of the patients with LVSD showed improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (45% pre vs. 53% post; P < 0.001) and NYHA class (NYHA III-IV in 22% pre vs. 10% post; P = 0.01). All patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction and biochemical or functional myocardial toxicity and 88% of patients with LVSD were deemed fit for continuation of cancer therapy after cardiovascular optimisation. Conclusions Through the establishment of a cardio-oncology service, it is feasible to achieve high rates of cardiac optimisation and cancer treatment continuation.

AIMS This study was conducted to test the diagnostic performance of NT-proBNP for discrimination of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) among breathless patients presenting in an Asian compared with a Western centre. METHODS AND RESULTS Patients with breathlessness were prospectively and contemporaneously recruited in Emergency Departments in Singapore and New Zealand (NZ). The diagnosis of ADHF was adjudicated by two clinician specialists. A total of 606 patients were recruited in Singapore and 500 in NZ. The discriminative power of NT-proBNP for ADHF was superior in Singapore compared with NZ [area under the curve (AUC) 0.926 vs. 0.866; P = 0.012] both overall and among selected subgroups stratified according to age, renal function, body mass index, and presence or absence of AF or diabetes. Previously established cut-off point values of plasma NT-proBNP yielded comparable sensitivity and negative predictive values, but superior specificity and accuracy in Singapore compared with NZ. The difference in test performance was driven by the younger age (median age 56 years vs. 73 years; P < 0.001), associated with better renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate 89 vs. 62 mL/min/1.73 m2 ; P < 0.001), and lower prevalence of AF (9.7% vs. 25.7%; P < 0.001) in acutely breathless patients in Singapore. CONCLUSION Considering emerging evidence of a lower average age of presentation with ADHF over most of Asia compared with Western countries, NT-proBNP is likely to be more accurate when applied in Asian centres than in the West.