The Cardiovascular
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HFA-ICOS Baseline Cardio-Oncology Risk Assessment for Multiple Myeloma Therapies

Baseline cardiotoxicity risk stratification before proteasome-inhibitor or immunomodulatory-drug therapy for myeloma.

HFA-ICOS Baseline Cardio-Oncology Risk Assessment for Multiple Myeloma Therapies
Existing heart failure or cardiomyopathy
Prior proteasome-inhibitor cardiotoxicity
Venous thrombosis (DVT or PE)
Cardiac amyloidosis
Arterial vascular disease
Ischaemic heart disease, prior PCI/CABG, stable angina, TIA, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease.
Prior immunomodulatory-drug cardiovascular toxicity
Baseline LVEF <50%
Elevated baseline BNP or NT-proBNP
Age ≥75 years
Prior anthracycline exposure
Borderline LVEF 50-54%
Arrhythmia
Elevated baseline troponin
Hypertension
Age 65-74 years
Left ventricular hypertrophy
Diabetes mellitus
Hyperlipidaemia
Chronic kidney disease
Family history of thrombophilia
Prior radiotherapy to the thoracic spine
High-dose dexamethasone (>160 mg/month)
Current smoker or significant smoking history
Obesity (BMI >30 kg/m²)
ResultLow risk

No or only a single medium-risk (1-point) factor is present. Routine baseline assessment is sufficient.

Medium-risk points
0
Overall risk category
Low risk

When to use

  • Baseline cardiovascular risk stratification before starting proteasome-inhibitor/immunomodulatory-drug therapy in patients with cancer.
  • Determining how intensively to monitor cardiac function during treatment.

Formula

Overall risk = Very high if any very-high-risk criterion is present; otherwise High if any high-risk criterion is present OR medium-risk points total ≥5; otherwise Moderate if medium-risk points total 2-4; otherwise Low (0 or 1 medium-risk point). Medium-risk items are weighted 1 or 2 points as specified.

Pearls and pitfalls

  • Any single very-high-risk criterion overrides the point total and classifies the patient as very high risk.
  • Risk category is intended to guide referral to cardio-oncology and the frequency of on-treatment cardiac imaging/biomarker surveillance, not to withhold effective cancer therapy.

References

  1. Lyon AR, Dent S, Stanway S, et al. Baseline cardiovascular risk assessment in cancer patients scheduled to receive cardiotoxic cancer therapies: a position statement and new risk assessment tools from the Cardio-Oncology Study Group of the Heart Failure Association of the ESC in collaboration with the International Cardio-Oncology Society. Eur J Heart Fail. 2020;22(11):1945-1960.