Improving Outcomes in Cancer Treatment-Related Cardiotoxicity (R01) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Improving Outcomes in Cancer Treatment-Related Cardiotoxicity (R01) (PA 16-035)

1) What is the focus of this funding opportunity?

This NIH, HHS-sponsored R01 funding opportunity (PA 16-035) supports research aimed at reducing heart and blood vessel damage caused by cancer therapies while still maintaining strong cancer treatment outcomes. The emphasis is on practical approaches that help clinicians prevent, detect, and manage cardiovascular complications linked to cancer treatment.

2) What clinical problem is this program trying to solve?

Many effective cancer treatments can cause short-term or long-term cardiovascular complications. This program targets the need for better ways to identify who is most at risk, prevent injury when possible, detect damage earlier, and manage cardiotoxicity more effectively without compromising cancer control.

3) What types of research projects are encouraged?

The FOA highlights studies that improve risk identification and characterization for cancer treatment-related cardiotoxicity, and projects that integrate evidence-based cancer treatment regimens with cardiovascular screening, diagnostic, and management strategies. The intent is to move from merely documenting toxicity to testing actionable strategies that reduce cardiovascular dysfunction and improve patient outcomes.

4) What does "cancer treatment-related cardiotoxicity" include under this FOA?

The scope includes adverse cardiovascular effects linked to a broad range of anti-cancer modalities, including traditional cytotoxic chemotherapies, targeted therapies, immunomodulatory treatments (including immunotherapies), and radiation. The FOA recognizes cardiotoxicity can occur during active treatment and also years later during survivorship.

5) Does the FOA address both short-term and long-term cardiovascular effects?

Yes. The announcement explicitly acknowledges that cardiotoxicity may present during therapy (acute effects) and also years later (chronic or late effects), and studies may address either or both.

6) What is meant by "risk identification and characterization" in this program?

It refers to developing or validating approaches that assess cardiac risk before cancer therapy begins and better stratify patients into risk categories. Examples mentioned include clinical risk models, biomarkers, imaging strategies, genetic or molecular predictors, and other tools that support cardiovascular risk assessment prior to starting treatment.

7) Does this FOA encourage research done before cancer treatment starts?

Yes. A core interest is assessment of cardiac risk before cancer therapy begins, with the goal of anticipating cardiovascular harm and tailoring decisions to patient risk rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

8) Are certain patient risk factors specifically called out as important?

Yes. The FOA notes that some patients may be more vulnerable due to pre-existing heart disease, metabolic risk factors, prior therapies, age-related susceptibility, or other contributors.

9) What kinds of prevention or mitigation strategies fit this FOA?

Responsive work may include testing cardioprotective co-therapies, evaluating management pathways, determining which diagnostic tests best detect early injury, comparing screening intervals, or evaluating treatment modifications that preserve cancer outcomes while lowering cardiac risk.

10) Is the program only about measuring cardiotoxicity, or does it expect interventions?

The FOA emphasizes actionable strategies. While detection and characterization are important, the focus is not simply on documenting toxicity; it is on strategies that reduce cardiovascular dysfunction and improve patient outcomes while maintaining effective cancer therapy.

11) Does the FOA encourage integrated care models between oncology and cardiology?

Yes. The FOA includes designing care models that coordinate oncology and cardiology services as an example of responsive work, reflecting the need to connect cancer regimens with structured cardiovascular monitoring and management.

12) Are collaborative or team-based applications important?

Yes. The FOA emphasizes collaborative, team-based applications because progress in this area often requires combined expertise across multiple disciplines (for example, oncology, cardiology, imaging, pharmacology, radiation oncology, epidemiology, and biostatistics).

13) What scientific disciplines are most relevant to this program?

The FOA explicitly references the value of combined expertise from oncology, cardiology, imaging, pharmacology, radiation oncology, epidemiology, biostatistics, and related disciplines.

14) What outcomes or endpoints does the FOA prefer for cardiotoxicity events?

The FOA anchors the definition and measurement of cardiotoxic events to cardiac-specific Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), indicating a preference for standardized, clinically meaningful endpoints and consistent reporting of cardiovascular adverse events.

15) What grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?

This opportunity uses the NIH R01 research project grant mechanism.

16) Which agency sponsors this funding opportunity?

The sponsor is the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

17) What funding activity areas are associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is categorized within Education and Health funding activity areas.

18) What CFDA numbers are associated with this FOA?

The FOA is associated with CFDA numbers 93.393 and 93.837.

19) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and various government entities (including state, county, city/township, and special districts), as well as eligible tribal governments and tribal organizations.

20) Are for-profit organizations allowed to apply?

Yes. The eligibility list includes for-profit organizations, including small businesses.

21) Are nonprofits required to have 501(c)(3) status to be eligible?

No. The eligibility information provided indicates nonprofits are eligible with or without 501(c)(3) status.

22) Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. The FOA includes eligible tribal governments and tribal organizations among eligible applicants.

23) Does the FOA specify when the opportunity was posted and when it closed?

Yes. It was posted on November 17, 2015, with a listed closing date of January 7, 2019, indicating it operated within a defined application window during that period.

24) What is the overarching goal of the funded research?

The overarching goal is to bring oncology and cardiovascular medicine together to determine how clinicians can deliver effective cancer therapy while preventing, detecting, and managing treatment-related heart damage in a way that improves survival and long-term quality of life.