Cardio-Oncology

What is Cardio-Oncology?

Cancer patients who receive chemotherapy or radiation as part of their treatment may be at increased risk for heart problems, called cardiotoxicity.

Specialists trained in cardio-oncology can catch these reactions early and develop personalized treatment plans to avoid serious cardiovascular complications.

UR Medicine's Approach

For diagnoses, we use innovative imaging techniques such as:

Echocardiogram with strain—an ultrasound that evaluates heart function
Cardiac MRI—a scan to view blood flow and parts of your heart
Angiography—an X-ray of blood vessels
Endomyocardial biopsy—a procedure that removes a tiny amount of heart tissue for analysis

We use these techniques to identify patients who may be at risk and those who have already developed heart problems due to cancer treatment.

Our physicians work together to decide on the best treatment for each patient. Treatment to protect a patient’s heart during chemotherapy may include medications such as:

Selective ACE-inhibitors
Angiotensin 2 receptor blockers
Beta blockers
Aldosterone blockers

UR Medicine offers the most advanced treatments first, and we have been recognized nationally for our programs to treat heart failure and stroke.

Video: Vicki Dennis participated in a research study using cardiac resynchronization therapy—the first such trial for cancer survivors—and now she’s back to living, working, exercising, and enjoying her family.

What Sets Us Apart?

Our expert cardiac care team leads the Rochester metropolitan area and surrounding region in the number and scope of specialized services. Our specialty programs help ensure that you get the very latest treatments for a wide range of cardiac issues.

UR Medicine Cardiac Care in collaboration with the Wilmot Cancer Institute offers a unique Cardio-Oncology Program—the only one of its kind in Upstate New York. Our team is working diligently on new solutions for people who have heart damage from cancer treatment.

UR Medicine experts also lead major projects, including a nationwide study of a pacemaker-like device that restored heart function in a group of cancer survivors. The study was reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association.