New collaboration at Winship Cancer Institute addresses patient heart health

10/22/2014

Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and the Emory University Division of Cardiology announce the formalization of a cardio-oncology program to care for the heart health of cancer survivors. The joint effort, initiated three years ago, is one of the few programs in the United States dedicated to addressing the cardiovascular side effects of cancer therapy and improving cardiovascular outcomes for cancer survivors.

Although chemotherapy and radiation therapy have led to dramatically improved survival in cancer patients, some of these therapeutic agents can increase a patient’s risk of heart problems. The proactive approach of the multidisciplinary Winship at Emory Cardio-Oncology Program is to provide care to patients in varying stages of cancer treatment who have or are at risk for developing heart disease.

The specialty cardio-oncology clinics provide collaborative evaluation and care of cancer patients by both Emory cardiologists and Winship oncologists. The clinics offer expert advice and guidance for patients who are either undergoing or have completed cancer treatment, or are being followed in the Winship survivorship program to prevent, monitor and manage cardiovascular side effects and complications.

Walter J. Curran, Jr., MD, executive director of Winship, welcomes the formal establishment of this program. "Improving the quality of life for cancer patients during and after treatment is an important goal of our physicians and researchers," says Curran. "This novel program enables us to accomplish this in an entirely new realm."

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