Cardio-Oncology
Personalized, Multi-Disciplinary Care
The cardio-oncology program at Torrance Memorial is a partnership between the Hunt Cancer Institute and the Lundquist Lurie Cardiovascular Institute, two high-performing institutes dedicated to patient care and quality treatment.
Our experienced physicians, surgeons, and other medical specialists work in teams to care for the whole patient. A relatively new specialty, cardio-oncology provides specialized heart care for patients before, during, and after cancer treatment who:
- Have a high risk of heart disease
- Have existing heart disease
- Develop heart disease or heart complications after cancer therapy
What is Cardio-Oncology?
The cardio-oncology program at Torrance Memorial is led by an expert team of cardiologists who collaborate with oncologists to treat patients at any stage of cancer therapy and provide personalized, comprehensive preventive and treatment strategies for optimal heart health.
Cardio-oncology is not a one-size-fits-all specialty. It’s tailored to each patient—to cancer type and stage, therapeutic strategy, heart disease risk—all of this is considered in a cardio-oncology plan for monitoring and treatment specific to the patient. Our team will consider what may be useful to prevent cardiac conditions and monitor for the development of any cardiac condition.
Due to prolonged cancer treatment that can damage the heart, cancer survivors are at risk of developing heart disease as they get older, so we continue to check in after the cancer treatment is complete.
We provide:
- Risk assessment prior to cancer treatment
- Care for cancer patients with existing cardiovascular disease
- Advanced cardiac imaging including echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, and cardiac CT/MRI
- Monitoring for cardiac complications from cancer treatments
- Assessment of long-term cardiac risk in cancer survivors
What to Expect
During your first consultation with a cardio-oncologist at Torrance Memorial, you can expect a thorough evaluation including a physical exam and review your medical and family history.
If needed, the team will request diagnostic tests and further evaluate your heart with tests, including:
- Echocardiography
- Vascular Ultrasound
- Heart Rhythm Monitoring
- Cardiac Nuclear Stress Test
Based on the findings during your evaluation, the cardio-oncologist will develop a personalized treatment plan aimed at preventing or treating any heart conditions.
