Cardio-Oncology Rehabilitation (CORE)

While cancer treatments can help you get better, certain ones can also increase your risk of heart complications. That’s why your multispecialty cancer care team may include specialists like cardiologists or pulmonologists to monitor and manage specific symptoms and risks if needed. During cardiac rehab, your entire care team will work together to coordinate comprehensive and customized care.

Protecting Your Heart and Improving Your Health

Our 12-week CORE Program was designed to help protect your heart health while enhancing your strength, overall health and quality of life. You can count in our team of heart, cancer and rehab experts to evaluate your current level of function and design a rehab plan to shield your heart from added stress as you achieve new goals. We’ll help you safely increase your physical activity level and reduce side effects, such as cancer-related fatigue.

What is Cardiac Toxicity?

Put simply, cardiotoxicity (heart toxicity) is temporary or lasting damage to your heart, blood vessels and lungs caused by certain cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation. But it is reversible. With specialized care, you can prevent or reverse temporary symptoms, improve your heart health and overall wellness, manage fatigue and lower your risk of long-term heart damage.

Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent permanent damage. To help manage your risk, your oncologist may recommend regular heart monitoring during and after your treatment.

Ask your oncologist and care team about these and other signs or symptoms of heart toxicity. Your cancer and heart specialists can help you identify heart issues early when cardiac toxicity treatment is most effective.

Cardiac toxicity signs and symptoms include:

Chest pain
Dizziness
Fatigue
Fluid retention in the legs
Heart rhythm changes (arrhythmia)
Shortness of breath

Heart-Related Complications of Cancer Treatment

If cancer treatments are affecting your heart, you may experience:

Extreme fatigue
High blood pressure
Low blood pressure
Heart attack
Heart failure
Heart valve disease
Irregular heartbeat
Thickening of the heart's lining (pericarditis)

Other Risk Factors for Cardiac Toxicity

The following conditions or lifestyle risk factors can increase your risk of heart toxicity:

Diabetes
Existing heart problems
Smoking
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Obesity

Getting Start with CORE

When you begin the CORE program, our experts will work with your cancer care team and evaluate your condition and treatment goals. You’ll have a treadmill test and may work on other equipment as your specialists assess your current level of function.

The following chart gives you an overview of what to expect during each phase of treatment. Your care team will customize heart-safe rehab goals that suite your current condition and personal progress.

For best results, you’ll want to complete all 12 weeks of the program. You can improve your level of success by exercising as directed at home in addition to regularly attending sessions at one of our conveniently located rehab facilities.

Phase	Milestones & Goals	CORE Rehab	At-Home Progress	Intensity
Phase 1	Milestone: You're in cancer treatment Goal: Reduce severe treatment side effects	Frequency: 1-2 times/week Duration: 12 weeks	Frequency: 2 times/week	Low
Phase 2	Milestone: You've completed Phase 1 or have had surgery or hormonal treatment. Goal: Reduce physical limitations	Frequency: 1-2 time/week Duration: 12 weeks	Frequency: 3 times/week	Low-moderate
Phase 3	Milestone: You've completed Phase 2 Goal: Improve physical abilities	Frequency: 1-2 times/week Duration: 12 weeks	Frequency: 3 times/week	Moderate
Phase 4	Milestone: You've completed Phase 3 Goal: Develop long-term habits for physical activity	None	Frequency: 3 times/week Duration: Indefinitely	Moderate to high

Contact Us

Cardio-oncology rehab requires a doctor’s referral. Check with your insurer or ask your care team about financial options or consultants. Most health insurance providers cover the cost of the CORE program. If you need help with a referral or for more information, call us at 816.691.1795.