Disclaimer. The EAC Guidelines represent the views of the EAC, and were produced after careful consideration of the scientific and medical knowledge, and the evidence available at the time of their publication. The EAC is not responsible in the event of any contradiction, discrepancy, and/or ambiguity between the EAC Guidelines and any other official recommendations or guidelines issued by the relevant public health authorities, in particular in relation to good use of healthcare or therapeutic strategies. Health professionals are encouraged to take the EAC Guidelines fully into account when exercising their clinical judgment, as well as in the determination and the implementation of preventive, diagnostic, or therapeutic medical strategies; however, the EAC Guidelines do not override, in any way whatsoever, the individual responsibility of health professionals to make appropriate and accurate decisions in consideration of each patient’s health condition and in consultation with that patient and, where appropriate and/or necessary, the patient’s caregiver. Nor do the EAC Guidelines exempt health professionals from taking into full and careful consideration the relevant official updated recommendations or guidelines issued by the competent public health authorities, in order to manage each patient’s case in light of the scientifically accepted data pursuant to their respective ethical and professional obligations. It is also the health professional’s responsibility to verify the applicable rules and regulations relating to drugs and medical devices at the time of prescription.

Advances in treatment have led to improved survival of patients with cancer but have also resulted in untoward side effects associated with treatment. Cardiovascular diseases are one of the most frequent of these side effects. Myocardial dysfunction and heart failure, myocardial ischaemia, arrhythmias, arterial hypertension, thromboembolic disease and other cardiovascular complications can interfere with the efficacy of treatment, decrease quality of life, or impact the actual survival of the patient with cancer. This manual discusses concepts for timely diagnosis, intervention, and surveillance of patients treated with cardiotoxic cancer therapies. In this first part оf manual we discuss the diagnostic, prevention and treatment aspects of cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction and heart failure.

Cancer is one of the most significant risk factors for venous thromboembolic complications (VTEC), which combines deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Of the many well-known risk factors for VTEC, only cancer is associated with a 4-fold increased risk of venous thrombosis, and in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy the risk increases by up to 6.5-fold. Venous thrombosis is increasingly common in cancer patients and contributes significantly to the course of the underlying disease and mortality, especially when combined with additional risk factors, the most significant of which are surgery and chemotherapy treatment. The prevention and treatment of VTEC in cancer patients is a challenge, primarily due to the pathogenesis of cancer-associated thrombosis, the presence of additional risk factors associated with cancer, the high risk of haemorrhagic complications, reduced renal function and the recurrent nature of VTEC. Aspects of safe prevention remain an integral part of the management of patients with active cancer. The most vulnerable periods for the development of VTEC are the periods when the patient is hospitalised for surgical or therapeutic treatment and the long period of chemotherapy treatment on an outpatient basis. A comprehensive approach to the prevention of VTEC in patients with cancer should primarily involve careful selection of high-risk patients at each stage of treatment of the malignancy; these patients are the ones who will benefit most from drug thromboprophylaxis. The treatment of an already confirmed VTEC in a cancer patient always involves the additional challenges of drug interactions and increased haemorrhagic risk due to prolonged use of treatment doses of anticoagulants, which may in turn affect the effectiveness of chemotherapy or the efficiency and safety of anticoagulant therapy.

Advances in treatment have led to improved survival of patients with cancer but have also resulted in untoward side effects associated with treatment. Cardiovascular diseases are one of the most frequent of these side effects. Myocardial dysfunction and heart failure, myocardial ischaemia, arrhythmias, arterial hypertension, thromboembolic disease and other cardiovascular complications can interfere with the efficacy of treatment, decrease quality of life, or impact the actual survival of the patient with cancer. This manual discusses concepts for timely diagnosis, intervention, and surveillance of patients treated with cardiotoxic cancer therapies. In this part оf manual we discuss the diagnostic, prevention and treatment aspects of cancer therapy-related thromboembolism and complications of radiotherapy.

Advances in treatment have led to improved survival of patients with cancer but have also resulted in untoward side effects associated with treatment. Cardiovascular diseases are one of the most frequent of these side effects. Myocardial dysfunction and heart failure, myocardial ischaemia, arrhythmias, arterial hypertension, thromboembolic disease and other cardiovascular complications can interfere with the efficacy of treatment, decrease quality of life, or impact the actual survival of the patient with cancer. This manual discusses concepts for timely diagnosis, intervention, and surveillance of patients treated with cardiotoxic cancer therapies. In this second part оf manual we discuss the diagnostic, prevention and treatment aspects of cancer therapy-related coronary artery disease, arterial hypertension, arrhythmias and pulmonary hypertension.