GE HealthCare (Nasdaq: GEHC) today announced its leading industrial role in the new COMPASS consortium, a five-year initiative focused on improving precision cardio-oncology care and advancing early detection of cardiovascular risks in cancer patients across Europe. COMPASS combines clinical excellence with novel healthcare technology, and with a total budget of €50.5 million and more than sixty partners, it is one of the largest public-private partnerships under the IHI.

Cardiovascular diseases are rising sharply among cancer patients and survivors, driven both by the increasing prevalence of pre‑existing cardiovascular conditions at diagnosis and by the expanding use of highly effective antitumor therapies - including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapies - many of which are associated with cardiovascular toxicities. Global studiesi show that heart-related complications are now the second leading cause of death in cancer survivors, after the cancer itself, accounting for up to 10% of mortality. Despite the broad recognition of cardiotoxicity as a major clinical challenge, evidence-based approaches to its management remain restricted. Limited understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying cardiotoxicity, a lack of reliable biomarkers, and the absence of effective preventive strategies, heighten patient risks and place growing pressure on healthcare systems, particularly in Europe's aging population.