The British Society of Echocardiography (BSE) is delighted to announce the publication of a new cardio-oncology guideline published jointly with the British Cardio-oncology Society (BCOS).
This guideline provides much needed direction and guidance for cardiac physiologists, cardiologists and cardio-oncologists alike. Oncology patients account for an increasing proportion of echocardiography work performed in the UK and accurate, reproducible assessment is crucial to informed decision making for these patients. To date there has not been a UK guideline for these patients hence the need to provide clear direction to all those involved in their assessment and care.
The guideline primarily covers the echocardiographic baseline assessment and subsequent surveillance of patients under treatment with anthracyclines and/or Trastuzumab. It recommends the use of 3D and global longitudinal strain assessment, covering the methodology for acquisition of images and the echocardiographic definitions of cancer therapeutic-related cardiac dysfunction.
The main message of the guideline is the importance of comprehensive assessment of left ventricular systolic function using 3D volumes and global longitudinal strain. Consequently every echo department performing echocardiograms on patients receiving these therapies should have the resources and technical ability to perform 2D/3D LVEF and GLS assessment.
The BSE-BCOS guideline complements the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology Guidelines and is broadly in keeping with other national cardiology guidelines on the subject.
This guideline will be published in both Echo Research and Practice and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Joint first authors Dr Rebecca Dobson, Consultant Cardiologist at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Dr Arjun Ghosh, Consultant Cardiologist at Barts Health NHS Trust said “This collaborative guideline will facilitate high quality echocardiographic assessment for this important group of patients and provide clarity in an area where there has been much ambiguity.”
Read the guideline