Self-Management Support for Cancer Survivors at Risk of Cardiotoxicity: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND

Cancer survivorship has significantly increased globally. This success has brought new challenges, including the rise in cardiovascular complications due to cardiotoxic effects of cancer treatments. Self-management (SM) support is increasingly recognised as an important component in overcoming these challenges; however, its implementation into practice remains inconsistent.

AIM: This scoping review aims to map the current landscape of SM for cancer survivors at risk of or experiencing cardiotoxicity, with a focus on existing models of interdisciplinary collaboration.

METHOD: Following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines, we conducted a search of five major databases for studies published from 2015 to October 2025. We included various study types focussing on adult cancer survivors at risk of or experiencing cardiotoxicity. Grey literature was also included.

RESULTS

We included 41 studies: 17 randomised controlled trials, eight pilot studies, two study protocols, two quasi-experimental studies, and three observational studies. Five systematic or scoping reviews were also included, along with two trial registrations and two real-world services through the grey literature. Most interventions focussed on exercise (51.3%), with fewer multimodal approaches (31.7%). Breast cancer was the most represented diagnosis (68.3%), and interventions were predominantly centre-based (61%) and post-treatment (53.6%). Common outcomes included VO2 max, cardiac biomarkers, and quality of life, although psychological and behavioural measures were reported less consistently.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite an emerging evidence base, SM for cancer survivors at risk of cardiotoxicity remains inconsistent and scarcely implemented in clinical practice. This review shows that current services remain fragmented, with most focussing on exercise and very few offering more holistic or standardised pathways.