Opinion Statement Cardio-oncology is a rapidly evolving subspecialty at the intersection of cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD), two of Australia’s leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Advances in cancer detection and therapy have markedly improved survival, resulting in a growing cohort of more than 1.2 million Australian cancer survivors. However, these patients are at increased risk of cardiovascular toxicity from cancer therapies, with CVD now surpassing recurrent malignancy as a leading cause of late mortality. In response, several quaternary and tertiary Australian public hospitals have established cardio-oncology services through grassroots initiatives, this has evolved into structured clinics embedded within tertiary hospitals. Despite increasing recognition and demand, access remains uneven, with services concentrated in metropolitan centres and limited provision for rural, remote, and Indigenous populations. National professional societies, including the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) and the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA), have recently established collaborative working groups to advance education, guidelines, and advocacy. Australia has also made significant research contributions through registries such as the Australian Cardio-Oncology Registry (ACOR) and clinical trials including SUCCOUR, BREXIT, and SMART-BREAST. Looking forward, key priorities for the Australian cardio-oncology community have surfaced including scaling workforce capacity, integrating structured education and training, expanding outreach and telehealth models, and addressing health inequities in underserved populations. These priorities along with upcoming initiatives such as the ACORES symposium will play an essential role in developing this sub speciality field. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current cardio-oncology landscape across Australia, outlining its development, achievements, challenges, and future directions.
Chen et al. (Sat,) studied this question.