Michel G. Khouri, MD

Cardio-oncology is a relatively new field that’s at the intersection of cardiology and oncology. It’s been emerging with the increased awareness of cardiovascular disease in patients who have either been treated for cancer or who are being treated with cancer agents that may potentially cause heart complications. When patients come in, I evaluate if they are at higher risk for developing heart disease or complications and intervene to help prevent any issues. By protecting the heart, it allows us to treat our patients’ cancers as aggressively as possible. I also like to educate patients. This is based on my own experience with physicians. Instructions didn’t resonate with me without an explanation. Understanding gave me more buy-in. Now, when I see patients, I try to spend as much time as possible explaining the issues and find that at times even illustrating with pictures can help make things clearer. I think it helps patients to understand what is going on and feel more invested in their care.