From the first Cardio-Oncology workshop in June 2016 to a national meeting in November, the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University in partnership with Peony Solutions, accelerates growth of a new subspecialty in medicine.
Keywords: Cardio-Oncology, international collaborations, physician education, China
The First China Cardio-Oncology Conference titled “Prevention, Early Intervention, Multidisciplinary Collaboration” was successfully held in Dalian (North-Eastern China) on the 18th and 19th of November 2016. It attracted over 300 attendees from around the country and included international experts Dr Susan Dent and Dr Ana Barac as keynote speakers. The meeting was organized by Dr Yunlong Xia and Dr Jiwei Liu, from the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, in partnership with Peony Solutions, a healthcare company specializing in physician education. Meeting topics included: the current status and future directions of Cardio-Oncology, overview of anti-cancer therapies and associated cardiotoxicity, establishment of Cardio-Oncology units in domestic hospitals, echocardiographic evaluation, cardiac tumors, basic research and case presentations.
The China Cardio-Oncology Network was initiated in early 2016, with the participation of 17 key opinion leaders (KOLs), including cardiologists, oncologists, hematologists, cardiac imaging specialists and basic research scientists. The first workshop was held in June when experts spent half a day discussing the most appropriate approach to launch Cardio-Oncology in China. A second workshop swiftly followed in August where the group confirmed the scope of the China Cardio-Oncology program, which includes:
After the workshops, the group of KOLs published a proposal and stated their commitment to “improve the prognosis of cancer patients; carry out multi-center epidemiological studies and establish a registry; set up Cardio-Oncology clinics; develop recommendations for the early diagnosis and treatment of cardiac problems in cancer patients in China; strengthen physicians’ education through national medical meetings and online promotion; and establish international exchanges and cooperation.”
The success of the program launch in China was largely due to the commitment of Dr Xia and his team of cardiologists and oncologists. Since June of this year, Dalian’s team of junior and senior physicians have held weekly meetings as part of their cardio-oncology program. Dr Xia in partnership with Dr Miliyun Chiu, founder of Peony Solutions, was able to promote the meeting to a broad audience. The meeting agenda was sent to over 1000 physicians via Wechat account (China social messaging platform) to attract attendees, and the meeting keynote session was posted and reached over 700 readers on the same day as the meeting.
The China Cardio-Oncology Conference concluded with Dr Dent and Dr Barac’s visit to the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, where they discussed physician training, patient referral and potential research directions. 2016 marks a successful launch for the China Cardio-Oncology program; with commitments from local physicians and the support of international experts, the team is confident that they will be able to continue with their progress and make significant contributions to the global cardio-oncology effort.
International partnership between First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Canadian Cardiac-Oncology Network and the American College of Cardiology Cardio-Oncology Section, facilitated by Peony Solutions. Core team members from left to right: Dr Jiwei Liu, Dr Yunlong Xia, Dr Ana Barac, Sandra Wang, Dr Susan Dent, Dr Ying Liu, Dr Miliyun Chiu, Eva Zhang (and Dr Fengqi Fang not in photo)
Opening ceremony of the First China Cardio-Oncology Conference in Dalian, North-Eastern China.