More than 50% of the newly diagnosed breast cancer patients are older than 65 years of age and might be at higher risk of developing cardiac toxicity from cancer therapy due to age-related risk factors, pre-existing heart disease and presence of other co-morbidities. With the lack of clinical studies in this group of patients, there are currently limited means to address effectively the complex needs of them and their caregivers. In addition, frailty bias may lead to sub-optimal treatments, resulting in poorer outcomes and quality of life and increased healthcare costs. For this reason, broader and interdisciplinary clinical studies able to provide best practices, specifically directed towards the management of the elderly breast cancer patients, are needed.
For this purpose, a new research study has been lunched, entitled “An interdisciplinary approach for the management of the elderly multimorbid patient with breast cancer therapy induced cardiac toxicity” with the acronym CARDIOCARE. CARDIOCARE project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 945175 and is a collaborative effort from leading scientists in 7 countries across Europe (Greece, Italy, Cyprus, Slovenia, Sweden, Netherlands, and France).
The goal of the project is to gather experts and their teams from different scientific fields across Europe including clinical oncologists, cardiologists, psychologists, molecular biologists, bioinformaticians and biomedical engineers in order to improve the monitoring, treatment and overall care provided to the breast cancer patient above 65 years of age. Through an individualized care plan based on the monitoring of the patient’s health status with a wearable sensor, a smartwatch and a mobile phone (mobile-Health monitoring system) together with the collection of new biomarkers, the study aims to provide patients with the ability to take part in their care process and improve their physical condition and psychological adaptation to the disease.
