Oncocardiology

Although cancers and heart diseases have started to appear at much earlier ages in the last 20 years, they still tend to be more common after the age of 50, reaching their highest prevalence in advanced age. In our country, which has the youngest population among European countries, it is expected that in the next 20-30 years, this young population will transition into the elderly group, causing a significant increase in the elderly population. As a result, chronic diseases like cancer and heart diseases are likely to surge. Given that these two diseases are commonly seen in the same age group, the probability of them occurring in the same patient is quite high. Recent studies on cancer have shown that some drugs and radiation therapies used in cancer treatment can lead to heart and vascular problems. Therefore, evaluating heart health while planning cancer treatment is of utmost importance to enhance treatment success and reduce life-threatening risks. The Oncocardiology department, which meets the necessary requirements for protecting heart health in cancer patients, aims to reduce critical events such as anesthesia risks during surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation side effects, ultimately providing patients with longer and better-quality lives.

What system is applied at Anadolu Health Center?

Anadolu Health Center is a center where cancer surgery is frequently performed, the medical oncology department works intensively, radiation therapy is successfully applied with advanced equipment, and departments like hematological oncology and bone marrow transplant are active. Previously, there was no formal collaboration between cardiology and oncology, and oncology-cardiology communication was more case-based. However, since the last quarter of 2012, cancer patients have been systematically followed and treated by the Oncocardiology department. The key issue in this process is establishing solid communication between oncologists and cardiologists. In this regard, good communication in the outpatient clinic, joint visits for inpatients, council meetings, information sharing, identifying high-risk patients, and planning their follow-up care are carried out through internal meetings, where each patient is evaluated individually when necessary. In addition to monitoring the follow-up of outpatient treatment patients, inpatients are closely monitored for heart complications.

How does cancer treatment affect the heart?

Recent advances in chemotherapy, targeted therapies, advanced radiation therapy devices like Cyberknife, and robotic surgeries have enabled many cancer patients to recover, enjoy better quality of life, and live longer. However, these gains come with the downside of more side effects, particularly from high-dose, powerful medications, which can lead to complications in other organs. One of the most serious unintended consequences is heart problems caused by chemotherapy drugs, known as cardiotoxicity. Although many cancer types, such as breast cancer, testicular cancer, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma, are highly treatable when detected early, some of these patients experience heart problems as a result of treatment, reducing their expected long-term and comfortable life.

How is oncocardiology evolving worldwide?

The collaboration between cardiology and oncology is vital for providing successful, safe treatment and ensuring long, high-quality life for patients. In the last 2-3 years, with these diseases often appearing together due to their similar age group, oncocardiology departments have been established in cancer centers to reduce the risk of surgery before cancer surgery, minimize the damage to the heart from chemotherapy drugs, facilitate early diagnosis and treatment, and detect and reduce the effects of radiation on the heart, especially in the chest area. Many major institutions worldwide, such as MD Anderson, Sloan Kettering, Vanderbilt, Cleveland Clinic, Harvard, American Cancer Center, and European Oncology Institute, actively operate oncocardiology departments. Since 2012, Anadolu Health Center has been working under the leadership of Cardiologist Prof. Dr. Ertan Ökmen in its Oncocardiology department to protect cancer patients' hearts during treatment and treat existing heart problems.