Pediatric Cardio-Oncology Program

If your child has cancer and needs heart and vascular care, we can help.

The Pediatric Cardio-Oncology Program at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh takes a team approach to care.

Our staff includes children's:

• Heart doctors
• Cancer doctors
• Nurses
• Support workers

We watch and treat heart problems in children and teens who are being treated for and who have survived cancer. We also help young adults move to cardio-oncology care.

What's the Link Between Cancer and Heart Problems in Kids?

Cancer care for children and teens has improved over the past few decades. The National Cancer Institute says children treated for cancer have a nearly 85% survival rate five years after diagnosis.

But life-saving chemotherapy, drugs, and radiation may raise the risk of heart and blood vessel problems.

Survivors of childhood cancer may also be more likely to have heart problems because cancer and heart disease share risk factors.

These shared risks include:

• High blood pressure.
• Diabetes.
• High cholesterol.

We offer a range of heart services to kids who have cancer and those who have survived cancer.

We treat each child based on their specific heart and vascular risk.

Can My Child Come to UPMC Children's for Heart and Cancer Care?

Our program treats children and teens who have or had cancer and:

• Received certain chemotherapy drugs (e.g. doxorubicin) as infants.
• Had radiation treatment to the chest as infants.
• Received certain combos of chemo and radiation under the age of five.
• Have an abnormal EKG or ECHO.
• Have below normal heart function or a change in heart function.
• Have high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
• Are overweight or obese.
• Smoke or use drugs.
• Plan to have a baby in the future.
• Have congenital heart disease (including bicuspid aortic valve).
• Have a family history of heart muscle diseases and early onset hardening of the arteries.
• Want to compete in sports.
• Have chest pain, palpitations, fainting, or exercise intolerance.

Please reach out to your team or your child's oncologist if you have questions.

What Services Does the UPMC Pediatric Cardio-Oncology Program Offer?

Heart screenings

Routine heart screenings are vital for children with cancer.

UPMC Children's Hospital's Cancer and Bone Marrow Transplant teams do the first screening for heart problems.

The doctors at our program continue the process.

We screen, diagnose, and treat children who develop heart problems from cancer treatment.  

Consults

We offer consults to kids and teens:

• Going through cancer treatment.
• Who need (or have had) a bone marrow transplant.
• That survived cancer who are at risk for heart problems.

More cardio-cancer services

• A team approach to children's heart and cancer care.
• Heart tests, including EKG and echocardiogram (ECHO).
• Healthy lifestyle guidance.
• Review of the risks and benefits of various cancer and heart treatments.
• Advanced treatments for heart failure.
• Heart and cardiothoracic (CT) surgery program.
• Helping young adults transition their care to the UPMC Center for Cardio-Oncology.

Why Choose UPMC Children's for Cardio-Cancer Care?

We provide advanced, child-centered care to improve the heart health of children with cancer — from diagnosis and treatment to adult care.

We work with the Cancer Survivorship Clinic at UPMC Children's.

UPMC Children's consistently ranks on U.S. News and World Report's Best Children's Hospitals Honor Roll. In 2021-22, our heart care and heart surgery programs ranked number two in the nation.

We accept most insurance plans.

Doctors

Kirsten Rose-Felker, MD
Director, Pediatric Cardio-Oncology Program

Doreen Konop, RN
Clinical Nurse Coordinator