Oncologic cardiology

Advances in oncological treatment have led to a significant improvement in cancer survival rates in recent years. However, many treatment regimes have direct or indirect, acute or long-term, prognostically relevant effects on the cardiovascular system, which are often still poorly understood. However, the clinical benefit of tumor therapy is sometimes significantly limited by cardiovascular side effects, some of which may only occur long after treatment. Diseases of the cardiovascular system also often lead to the discontinuation of tumor therapies. On the other hand, patients with cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure, are also more likely to develop cancer. Oncological cardiology deals with the detection (discovery), monitoring (surveillance) and treatment of cardiovascular diseases that occur as a side effect of chemotherapy or radiotherapy (i.e. direct damage to the heart caused by tumor therapy). It also deals with the recurrence of cardiovascular diseases in tumor patients. Using modern diagnostic methods, heart damage can sometimes be detected before symptoms occur. In addition, early cardiac therapy can prevent or at least mitigate further deterioration in cardiac function.

For this reason, the Clinical Department of Cardiology and Angiology at the MHH has set up a special outpatient clinic for patients before, during and after potentially cardiotoxic chemotherapy or after chest radiotherapy. It is a contact point for patients who have an increased cardiovascular risk (e.g. diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure) or a pre-existing cardiological disease and serves to optimize therapy before initiating oncological therapy. Patients are consulted by cardiology specialists during their inpatient stay for tumor therapy.

Contact person

Dr. med. D. Berliner
Prof. Dr. med. U. Bavendiek
Prof. Dr. med. J. Bauersachs
Prof. Dr. med. Genot Beutel (Haematology, Stem Cell Transplantation)