Cardio Oncology

Although necessary for cancer care, many of the drugs and treatment regimens used to fight cancer can also damage heart muscle. Our cardio oncology program is dedicated to the caring of patients with cancer who are either at risk for developing heart disease (due to their cancer treatment) or who are already suffering from the condition.

The combination of earlier cancer diagnosis, the increased use of traditional and new systemic treatments, and advances in cancer care over the last decade has lowered the cancer mortality rate, but has also led to more patients being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular conditions that can result from cancer treatment include:

• Heart failure

• Arrhythmias

• Coronary artery disease

• High blood pressure

The Kaufman Cancer Center (KCC) and the Heart and Vascular Institute have developed a Cardio Oncology Program designed to optimize cancer care in a multi-disciplinary setting that may help decrease the adverse cardiovascular effects that cancer treatment can cause. In collaboration with the KCC care team, Dipan Desai, D.O. of Upper Chesapeake Cardiology, leads the program.

The Cancer Center's number one goal is always to provide quality patient care for individuals with cancer. Thanks to this new program, we can help individuals prevent or minimize issues with heart disease as well.