What is Cardio-Oncology?

What is Cardio-Oncology?

A cardiologist and an oncologist working together can determine an individual patient's risk for cardiotoxicity by clinical examination and special testing before cancer treatment starts. If a patient is at risk, the cardiologist can implement measures to decrease this risk and alert the cancer doctor who will then select the most adequate anti-cancer therapy. If a patient starts to develop signs of cardiotoxicity during treatment, the cardiologist may treat the cardiotoxicity preventing the need to interrupt cancer treatment. In addition, the cancer doctor may alter the patient's treatment plan. The goal of the collaboration of a cardiologist and an oncologist in a discipline known as Cardio-Oncology, is to maximize the treatment of cancer while preserving cardiac function.