Franciscan Health Cardio-Oncology Indianapolis Program Provides Patients With Precision Treatment

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - Four Franciscan Health clinicians who pioneered a program to help monitor and treat potential heart problems linked to patients undergoing chemotherapy have their work highlighted in a prestigious medical journal.

A recent edition of Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) featured a "State of the Art Review" article. Its lead author is Vijay Rao, MD, PhD, director of Franciscan's Cardio-Oncology Program. He was joined by co-authors Atul Chugh, MD (cardiologist), Meghana Raghavendra, MD (oncologist), and David Reeves, PharmD (oncology pharmacist).

"Despite incredible advances in cancer therapies due to precision medicine, new oral therapies can have a significant impact on cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure and heart dysfunction leading to congestive heart failure," said Dr. Rao. "We need to make sure cancer patients who survive their malignancy do not subsequently succumb to cardiovascular complications. This review article aims to provide simplified monitoring and management strategies for the collaborating oncologist and cardiologist to avoid these toxicities."

The Cardio-Oncology Program is a collaboration of Franciscan Physician Network Indiana Heart Physicians (IHP) and medical oncologists at Franciscan Health Cancer Center. The care they provide patients includes heart risk assessments of patients before cancer treatment begins; monitoring and treating patients for heart complications during therapy; and assessment of long-term cardiac risk in cancer survivors.

The program's focus is in response to research studies that clearly show that some drugs used in cancer care may have unanticipated side effects that can prove toxic to the heart and its functions. The team focuses on how to continue patients' chemotherapy safely.

The Cardio-Oncology Program was named a 2020 recipient of the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) Innovator Awards, which recognizes creative and effective approaches to cancer care challenges. The ACCC is an organization of 27,000 multidisciplinary cancer care professionals from more than 2,100 hospitals and practices across the nation.

To learn more about the Franciscan Health Cardio-Oncology Program and its team, view this VIDEO.