Temple’s Cardio-Oncology Program provides skilled care for patients affected by both cancer and heart problems. We help patients manage heart conditions that have been triggered or worsened by cancer therapy; treat preexisting heart problems before cancer therapy begins; and also assist in treating cancers of the heart.
Cancer & The Heart
Certain types of cancer treatment can cause or exacerbate cardiovascular conditions such as inflammation of the heart muscle, heart rhythm disorders, coronary artery disease, or even congestive heart failure, and problems may appear some time after cancer treatment is over. The Temple Heart & Vascular Institute has an established reputation for treating these serious and complex conditions. Using our advanced imaging and diagnostic facilities, Temple’s cardiologists work together with the patient’s oncology team to plan the safest and most effective care we can. We provide a wide variety of treatments, ranging from medication for controlling arrhythmia to surgical implantation of pacemakers and heart pumps, repair of heart valves, and removal of heart tumors.
Multidisciplinary Team
Patients referred to the Cardio-Oncology Program are evaluated and treated at one location by a highly skilled multidisciplinary team of specialists, which includes:
- Cardiologists
- Interventional cardiologists
- Heart failure specialists
- Oncologists
- Cardiovascular surgeons
- Electrophysiologists
Advanced Diagnostic Capability
Temple has a full range of diagnostic tools and imaging technologies that effectively diagnose and evaluate heart problems. These include:
- Cardiovascular catheterization
- Transesophageal echocardiogram
- Cardiac biopsy
- Stress testing
- Electrocardiogram
- Echocardiogram
- Cardiac MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
- Cardiac CT (computed tomography)
- Nuclear imaging (positron emission tomography, or PET; and SPECT, or single photon emission CT)
