Dr. KM Cherian Institute of Medical Sciences organized the Cardio-Oncology CME by the Department of Oncology & Cardiology – “Landscape of Cardio-Oncology: Past, Present and Future” on 4th July 2024.
The chief guest and main speaker was Dr. Amit Arbune (Director Cardio – Oncology Program, Department of Medicine Quality and Patient Safety Officer, University of Kentucky, USA). He gave a presentation on the “Landscape of Cardio Oncology: Past, Present and Future”.
Cardio-oncologist is a medical oncologist or a cardiologist with additional training in treating cancer patients with heart disease. They don’t just treat cancer of the heart, which is extremely rare. Rather, they treat a more common concern: heart disease in people during all phases of their cancer treatment.
The same factors that increase one’s risk for heart disease — high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, being overweight, smoking, and inactivity — also increase the risk for cancer. Because of that, many people diagnosed with cancer are also at risk for or have some form of heart disease.
Cancer treatment can exacerbate existing diseases or contribute to the development of heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.
Cardio Oncology training aims to streamline the heart health for cancer patients undergoing treatment.
KMC Hospital is beginning to start a cardio oncology department as well as a training program in cardio oncology, in collaboration with the University of Kentucky and Global Cancer Care Consortium.
The sessions were Chaired by Dr. Sarah J. Easaw (Medical Director & Consultant Oncologist, Oncology Centre, KMC Hospital), Dr. Madhu Paulose Chandy (Consultant Cardiologist, KMC Hospital), Dr. Anand Srinivasan (Consultant Cardiologist, KMC Hospital), Dr. Devarajan K. A (Consultant Cardiologist, KMC Hospital), Dr. Arun Dinaraj (Consultant Cardiologist, KMC Hospital), Dr. Boaz Vincent (Consultant Radiation Oncologist, KMC Hospital) & Dr. John Thomas (Consultant Surgical Oncologist, KMC Hospital).
The event was graced with the presence of Rev. Fr. Dr. Alexander Koodarathil (Managing Director, KMC Hospital), Dr. Geevarghese K. Mathew (Medical Superintendent and Consultant Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgeon, KMC Hospital), Shri Seby Poulose (COO, KMC Hospital) & over 90 doctors across Kerala.
