What is cardio-oncology?
Cardio-oncology is an emerging field in which cardiologists specialize in diagnosing, treating, and monitoring:
- Cancer patients receiving treatments that may affect their heart
- Cancer patients who had heart disease before their cancer diagnosis
- Cancer patients at a high risk of developing heart disease
- Cancer survivors whose hearts may have been damaged by cancer treatment
Your provider at Upper East Side Cardiology works closely with your oncology team, coordinating your care and managing cardiotoxicity before, during, and after your cancer treatment.
What types of cancer treatments affect my heart?
Radiation therapy to the chest can affect your heart. The chemotherapy drugs most likely to cause heart problems include a class of drugs called anthracyclines, which are widely used to treat many types of cancer.
Some of today’s newest cancer treatments, including targeted therapy and immunotherapy, are also known to cause cardiovascular side effects.
What heart conditions are treated with cardio-oncology?
The providers at Upper East Side Cardiology are fully prepared to treat any heart problem arising from your cancer treatment. Some of the most common conditions include:
- Heart failure
- Heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Low blood pressure
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias)
- Slow heartbeat
- Heart valve disease
- Fluid around the heart
- Inflammation of tissues around the heart
- Thickening of the heart lining
Cardiotoxicity may occur during your treatment, or problems may not appear until years later.
What services might I receive through cardio-oncology?
If you’re diagnosed with heart disease and then get cancer, your provider at Upper East Side Cardiology does a comprehensive evaluation before your cancer surgery or treatment.
Your provider evaluates your risk for treatment-related heart problems, determines the best medication, and starts preventive therapies.
You will also receive a thorough pre-treatment examination if you don’t have heart disease, but your cancer treatment includes a medication or therapy known to increase your risk of heart disease.
Your provider at Upper East Side Cardiology closely monitors you throughout your treatment. You also receive long-term preventive cardiology once the treatment is finished.
Any time you need diagnostic testing throughout the process, you can get advanced tests, including echocardiograms and electrocardiograms in the office.
Ultimately, your provider at Upper East Side Cardiology focuses on ensuring you can get the cancer treatment you need, while reducing its effect on your heart.
If you need cardio-oncology, call Upper East Side Cardiology or schedule an appointment online.
