: Cardio -Oncology: A new Area and Developing Area of Medicine

May 8, 2021

4 min read

The cardio-oncology subspecialty has gained much popularity recently with many cardio-oncology centers launching new research and entire conferences focusing on this specialty as awareness of cardiac toxicities linked with the treatment of cancer increases.

The number of people surviving cancer continues growing. Today, there are over 16.9 million survivors of cancer in the United States and according to the American Cancer Society, it's expected this number will grow to 22.1 million by 2030.

What Is Cardio-Oncology?

Doctors specializing in cardio-oncology, or cardio-oncologists, treat and evaluate patients who have existing heart disease or are at risk of developing heart disease before, during, or following cancer treatment. Their patients typically are cancer survivors or patients currently getting cancer treatment. For instance, women who have had treatment for breast cancer, especially older women are at a higher risk of cardiac complications over the long term, according to the American Heart Association.

Certain cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation, can lead to long-term, lasting damage to circulation and the heart. This might lead to cardiac conditions like:

Narrowing of the arteries supplying blood to your heart (known as coronary artery disease) or those to the legs (known as peripheral artery disease)
Arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat)
Decrease or increase in blood pressure beyond the normal range (hypotension/hypertension)
Damage to your heart valves
Heart sac inflammation (pericarditis)
Heart muscle deterioration and heart failure

Cardio-oncologists work with three primary subgroups of patients

1.
Patients who have existing heart disease who develop cancer to determine if their heart can withstand the stress of cancer treatment
2.
Cancer survivors who have received radiation therapy involving portals that included the heart or who have received regimens considered cardio-toxic
3.
Patients who are received chemotherapy involving cardio-toxic agents in order to monitor for adverse changes in cardiac function.

Cardio-oncologists address the cardio-toxic impacts of chemotherapy and/or radiation, as well as work with people who have the co-existing diseases of cancer and heart disease. They work with cancer survivors and patients to prevent, monitor, and treat cardiovascular disease to ensure long-term health. If cardiac disease is a barrier to cancer treatment, cardio-onclogists work to remove this barrier.

Cardio-Oncology Services

Cardiologists offer services such as:

1.
Providing guidance and advice to individuals with a high heart disease risk or existing heart disease prior to cancer treatment and assessing how to monitor, prevent and treat heart conditions.
2.
Offering heart medications and other treatments for heart conditions when needed.
3.
Discussing treatment options for cancer with oncologists for individuals with a high heart disease risk or existing heart disease.
4.
Screening for, monitoring, and treating complications of the heart that might develop during cancer treatment due to receiving radiation therapy to the chest area or taking certain chemotherapy medications.
5.
Offering lifestyle coaching to individuals following cancer treatment like making lifestyle alterations for helping to decrease the risk of heart disease as well as maintaining health, including exercise and heart-health dieting.

Cancer treatment developments have drastically improved cancer patients' survival which allows them to live fuller, longer lives. But, just as these therapies kill and damage cancer cells, they could also do the same to other body parts, including your heart. This is why cardio-oncology programs provide specialized cardiac care for people dealing with cancer and those who survived it.

Cancer patients are now living longer and in a lot of cases are surviving their disease.

Foundations and Societies

National Foundation for Cancer Research: The NFCR is committed to offering researchers and scientists in the lab funding they require for making game-changing cancer treatment discoveries, detection, and eventually a cure for all forms of cancer.
The Heart Foundation: This organization's mission is to save lives through the increase of awareness of heart disease, and it's early detection. It also supports the advanced research that takes place at Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai.

Latest Insights on Cardio-Oncology

Gain the latest insights and advancements on cardio-oncology at ESC 365. A not-for-profit, volunteer-led medical society, ESC 365's decision-makers, and members are clinicians, scientists, allied professionals, and nurses working in all cardiology fields.
The increasing understanding and knowledge of the relationship between clinical outcomes and comorbid disease among this population are evaluated. With the driving force of the COVID-19 pandemic, cardio-oncology can embrace changes deliberately in cardiac monitoring, screening, and intervention during oncology care.

Dealing With Heart Disease or Other Cardiac Problems?

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