Cardio-Oncology Center

Overview

Cancer survival has improved over the years due to newer and better forms of treatment with chemotherapy and radiation. When treating cancer, some of the treatments may cause lasting damage to your heart. This is especially true if you are at risk for heart disease.

The goal of Cleveland Clinic’s Cardio-Oncology Center is to help you complete your cancer treatment without developing such damage. We use state-of-the-art technology to identify and immediately treat the toxicity. Our care does not change or interrupt your cancer therapy.

Our team includes specialists from the Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute (including cardiac imaging, heart failure, electrophysiology and cardiac surgery) and the Taussig Cancer Institute. The team works together to provide expertise in diagnostic testing, medical management, and interventional and surgical procedures for patients.

This multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals is dedicated to caring for patients in every stage of cancer treatment who are at risk for, develop or have established cardiovascular disease.

References

• Reed GW, Masri A, Griffin BP, Kapadia SR, Ellis SG, Desai MY. Long-Term Mortality in Patients With Radiation-Associated Coronary Artery Disease Treated With Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2016 Jun;9(6). pii: e003483. doi: 10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.115.003483.
• Senapati A, Sperry BW, Grodin JL, Kusunose K, Thavendiranathan P, Jaber W, Collier P, Hanna M, Popovic ZB, Phelan D. Prognostic implication of relative regional strain ratio in cardiac amyloidosis. Heart. 2016 May 15;102(10):748-54. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2015-308657. Epub 2016 Feb 1. Erratum in: Heart. 2016 Sep 1;102(17):1419.
• Collier P, Koneru S, Tamarappoo B, Griffin B. Strain imaging to detect cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction: are we there yet? Future Cardiol. 2015 Jul;11(4):401-5. doi: 10.2217/FCA.15.40. Epub 2015 Aug 4. No abstract available.
• Armstrong GT, Joshi VM, Ness KK, Marwick TH, Zhang N, Srivastava D, Griffin BP, Grimm RA, Thomas J, Phelan D, Collier P, Krull KR, Mulrooney DA, Green DM, Hudson MM, Robison LL, Plana JC. Comprehensive Echocardiographic Detection of Treatment-Related Cardiac Dysfunction in Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Results From the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2015 Jun 16;65(23):2511-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2015.04.013.
• Singh D, Thakur A, Tang WH. Utilizing cardiac biomarkers to detect and prevent chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy. Curr Heart Fail Rep. 2015 Jun;12(3):255-62. doi: 10.1007/s11897-015-0258-4. Review.

What We Treat

The Cardio-Oncology Center provides care to patients in varying stages of cancer treatment who have or are at risk for heart disease. Our range of services includes evaluation and treatment of patients:

• Who will begin cancer treatment and have risk factors for heart disease
• Who will begin cancer treatment and are being treated for heart disease
• Who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation and develop symptoms of weakness or fatigue;
  swelling of the legs and feet; chest pain; irregular heart beats; and/or dizziness
• Who have had cancer treatment in the past and develop new cardiac problems
• Who have had radiation therapy in the past and need surgical or interventional treatments
• Who have developed advanced heart failure due to previous cancer treatment and need advanced treatment, such as a heart pump or heart transplant
• Who have a cardiac tumor

Our team of healthcare professionals offer patients:

• A full range of imaging techniques and diagnostic studies. These allow for early detection of heart and blood vessel damage and arrhythmias. These tools include cardiovascular exam, electrocardiogram (ECG), and state-of-the-art echocardiography, including 3D, contrast and strain imaging.
• Collaborative medical management. Our cardiologists and oncologists will discuss your test results. Together, we will design the best cancer treatment plan for you. This includes the choice of treatment, dosage and schedule.
• Ongoing follow-up care during cancer treatment. This lets us find and treat heart and vascular changes early in your care and work to create the best long-term outcomes possible.
• Continued care after cancer treatment. You can develop heart damage (cardiotoxicity) within the first year after therapy, and even several years after therapy. We provide follow-up care and early treatment, if needed.
• Advanced surgical options for patients with valve and pericardial disease caused by previous radiation therapy.
• Advanced heart failure therapies, such as specialized medical treatment, artificial heart pumps and heart transplantation, for patients with end-stage heart failure caused by chemotherapy or radiation.

Learn more about:

• Cancer Treatment and the Heart
• Chemotherapy and the Heart
• Radiation Therapy and the Heart

Why choose Cleveland Clinic for your care?

Our outcomes speak for themselves. Please review our facts and figures and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask.

Leaders in the field from America’s top ranked Heart Program and one of America’s top Cancer Programs are working together to offer you the best diagnostics and treatment possible.

Cleveland Clinic's Section of Cardiovascular Imaging pioneered the clinical use of strain imaging. This is an innovative technique that allows early detection of cardiotoxicity. This helps determine the best plan for cancer treatment and predict the amount of heart damage it will cause.

Our Doctors

Cleveland Clinic's Cardio-Oncology Center staff includes a multidisciplinary group of expert healthcare professionals from the Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute and Taussig Cancer Institute. This collaboration is designed to provide you with the best possible care of your heart before, during and after cancer treatment.

Our Medical Team

• G. Thomas Budd, MD, Co-Director, Cardio-Oncology Center, Solid Tumor Oncology (Breast and Sarcomas)
• Patrick Collier, MD, Co-Director, Cardio-Oncology Center, Cardiovascular Imaging

Medical Staff

Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute: Cardiovascular Medicine

• Patrick Collier, MD, PhD - Co-Director, Cardio-Oncology Center, Cardiovascular Imaging
• Milind Desai, MD - Cardiovascular Imaging, special interest radiation heart disease
• J. Emanuel Finet, MD - Heart Failure and Transplantation
• Brian Griffin, MD - Cardiovascular Imaging
• Karen James, MD - Heart Failure and Transplantation
• Mohamed Kanj, MD - Electrophysiology and Pacing
• Rohit Moudgil, MD, PhD - Clinical Cardiology
• Zoran Popovic, MD, PhD - Cardiovascular Imaging
• W.H. Wilson Tang, MD - Heart Failure and Transplantation

Surgical Staff

Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery

• Eric Roselli, MD
• Nicholas Smedira, MD
• Michael Tong, MD

Taussig Cancer Institute

• G. Thomas Budd, MD – Co-Director, Cardio-Oncology Center, Solid Tumor Oncology (Breast and Sarcomas)
• Halle Moore, MD – Oncologist (Breast Cancer)
• Chirag Shah, MD – Radiation Oncology
• Dale Shepard, MD, PhD
• Rahul Tendulkar, MD – Radiation Oncology
• Brad Pohlman, MD – Hematologic Oncology and Blood Disorders (Lymphoma)

Lerner Research Institute

• Feixiong Cheng, PhD - Scientific Co-investigator

• Visit our Staff Directory to search for additional physicians

Appointments

By Phone

To make an appointment, please call toll-free 800.659.7822 Cardiology Appointments or Request an Appointment online.

Directions

Go to Desk J1 - 5, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.

• Door-to-door/valet directions
• Door-to-garage directions
• Travel Guide

Online

Use our secure online form to submit an appointment request 24/7. We will receive it and follow-up with you as soon as possible.

• Submit an online request.

Physician Referrals

Mon. - Fri., 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (ET):
toll-free 800.223.2273, ext. 49162

• More info on referrals, transfers and critical care transport.

Appointment Information

What to Expect

Whether you are coming from around the corner or around the world, you want to know what to expect before, during and after your visit with us. If you have any questions while reviewing this information, please contact us. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

To start the process, contact the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute Resource Nurse by phone, email or chat online. She will ask you a few questions to gather information about your cancer and heart history. She will forward this information to the Cardio-Oncology nurse, who will contact you with the next steps for your evaluation.

Before your appointment

If your appointment is at least one week away, please send us your records. Please include your medical history, previous or current cancer diagnosis, chemo and/or radiotherapy regimen received, list of medications, test results and films (echocardiogram, ultrasound, chest x-ray, MRI, CT, etc.).  All information should be sent in the same package (clearly marked with your name and address) via Airborne Express, Federal Express, or certified U.S. mail (make sure you have a tracking number). Send your records to:

Cardio-Oncology Center
Physician Name
Cleveland Clinic
Cardio-Oncology Center – Desk J1 - 5
9500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44195

If your appointment is less than a week away, please bring your records to your appointment.

Traveling to Cleveland Clinic

We want your trip to Cleveland Clinic to be as easy as possible. Information on traveling to the Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute.

Please note: Parking for your appointment will vary whether you are at Taussig or the Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute.

Physician Referrals

Please contact Cardiovascular Medicine Appointments 216.444.6697 (or call the physician’s office directly).

During your appointment

First, you will meet with either a nurse clinician or fellow who will review your information and begin the documentation process. This may involve:

1. Thorough history and physical examination
2. Electrocardiogram
3. Strain Imaging Testing

Next, you’ll meet with your Center physician who will review your records and take a medical history and perform a physical exam. You may see other specialists within the Center. You will get results from your visit the same day. We will also provide you with a diagnosis and plan of care for your oncologist.

How long will you need to stay at Cleveland Clinic?

To complete all testing, you will need to stay in the Cleveland area for 1 to 2 days.

After your visit

Your doctor will let you know when to come back for another visit.

Research

For Patients

Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute physicians, surgeons, and researchers continue to research into new treatments and therapies with the goal of improving patient care and outcomes into the future.

• More information on Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute Research

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials (or research studies) help us create the medicine of tomorrow. They provide hope through offering testing of new drugs, new surgical techniques or other treatments before they are widely available.

We can help you access hundreds of clinical trials across all specialty areas. Our new searchable online trials tool makes identifying treatment opportunities easier than ever.

Videos

Cardio-Oncology Videos

Some videos may include real surgery images and may be graphic.

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Video Listing

• Radiation Heart Disease - Milind Desai, MD
• What To Do if You Develop Heart Damage After Chemotherapy or Radiation Treatments - Karen James, MD
• Tumors of the Heart - Eric Roselli, MD
• Five Things to Know If You Have Radiation Heart Disease - Milind Desai, MD