An international survey presented at ESC Cardio-Oncology 2026, the second annual conference of the European Society of Cardiology’s Council of Cardio-Oncology, has identified substantial deficiencies in cardio-oncology training across multiple healthcare systems. The findings underscore a critical mismatch between the growing clinical prevalence of cardiovascular complications in cancer patients and the availability of formal educational pathways to prepare clinicians for this specialised field.
Key takeaways
- International survey data presented at ESC Cardio-Oncology 2026 reveals widespread gaps in structured cardio-oncology training programmes
- The mismatch between clinical demand and educational capacity poses risks for patients receiving cancer treatment with concurrent cardiovascular disease
- Systematic training deficiencies span multiple healthcare settings, indicating a need for coordinated international curriculum development
Cardio-Oncology as a Growing Clinical Intersection
Cancer survivors and patients with concurrent cardiovascular disease represent an expanding patient population requiring specialized knowledge
Source: ESC Cardio-Oncology Council, 2026 | Georgian Medical Journal News
The Clinical Need for Cardio-Oncology Expertise
Cardio-oncology addresses the intersection of cardiovascular disease and cancer treatment, a field of increasing importance as cancer survival rates improve and the ageing population experiences both malignancies and heart disease. According to data from the European Society of Cardiology, modern oncological therapies—particularly targeted therapies and immunotherapies—carry documented risks of cardiotoxicity, myocarditis, and other cardiovascular complications. Clinicians require structured knowledge to manage these overlapping conditions safely.
The survey findings, presented at the ESC’s dedicated cardio-oncology conference, suggest that despite this recognised clinical need, formal training pathways remain inconsistently available across European and international healthcare systems. This represents a significant gap between clinical demand and educational infrastructure.
Survey Reveals Systematic Training Deficiencies
The international survey documented substantial variability in cardio-oncology training provision, indicating that many oncologists and cardiologists lack formal preparation for managing patients with concurrent cardiovascular and malignant disease. Results presented at ESC Cardio-Oncology 2026 highlighted that structured training is neither universally available nor standardised across participating institutions.
These deficiencies span multiple dimensions: undergraduate medical education, postgraduate specialty training, and continuing professional development. The absence of consistent curricula means that clinicians’ knowledge of cardio-oncology depends heavily on individual initiative and institutional resources rather than systematic preparation. This creates variability in clinical practice and potentially compromises patient safety.
Implications Across the Healthcare System
The training gaps identified have direct consequences for patient care. Cancer patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease or those at risk of treatment-related cardiotoxicity may receive suboptimal preventive and monitoring strategies if their oncologists lack cardio-oncology knowledge. Conversely, cardiologists treating cancer survivors may not recognise or manage long-term sequelae of prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy without formal training in this intersection.
The findings also suggest an urgent need for coordinated health policy action to establish international standards for cardio-oncology education. Professional bodies including the European Society of Cardiology and oncology organisations must collaborate to develop standardised curricula, certification pathways, and continuing education requirements. Such coordination is essential to ensure equitable access to specialist knowledge across healthcare systems and countries.
An international survey presented at ESC Cardio-Oncology 2026 reveals critical gaps in cardio-oncology training despite the increasing clinical prevalence of cardiovascular complications in cancer patients and survivors.
— European Society of Cardiology Council of Cardio-Oncology (ESC Cardio-Oncology 2026)
What this means
Frequently asked questions
What is cardio-oncology and why is it important?
Cardio-oncology is a subspecialty addressing the cardiovascular complications of cancer and cancer treatment. Modern chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapies can cause cardiotoxicity, myocarditis, heart failure, and arrhythmias. As cancer survival rates improve, the population of cancer survivors with long-term cardiovascular disease grows, making cardio-oncology expertise essential for safe, evidence-based care.
What specific training gaps did the survey identify?
The survey presented at ESC Cardio-Oncology 2026 documented inconsistent availability of formal cardio-oncology training across healthcare institutions, spanning undergraduate medical education, postgraduate specialty training, and continuing professional development. Many oncologists and cardiologists lack structured preparation for managing patients with concurrent cardiovascular and malignant disease, creating variable clinical practice standards.
How can healthcare systems address these training gaps?
Systematic solutions include developing standardised international cardio-oncology curricula, integrating cardio-oncology into specialty training requirements, establishing certification pathways, and supporting continuing education through professional societies such as the European Society of Cardiology. Multidisciplinary collaboration between cardiology, oncology, and medical education authorities is essential.
The ESC’s second annual Cardio-Oncology Conference signals growing institutional recognition of this critical gap. Future conferences and collaborative efforts between the European Society of Cardiology and oncology organisations will be essential to develop evidence-based training standards and ensure that clinicians across all healthcare systems can deliver safe, informed care to patients at the intersection of cardiovascular and malignant disease.
Source: Survey reveals major gaps in cardio-oncology training
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Medically reviewed by Prof. Giorgi Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD. Spotted an error? Contact the editorial team.
