Today, thanks to treatment advancements, the majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer can expect to be cured. But what if focusing on beating the cancer means weakening what beats in her chest?

Two Duke researchers are now looking beyond cancer therapy to potentially save more lives by focusing on heart health.

By bringing together oncologists and primary care providers, Kevin Oeffinger, MD, director of the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) Center for Onco-Primary Care, and Susan Dent, MD, co-director of the Duke Cardio-Oncology program, are examining the long-term impact that cancer therapies can have on a woman’s heart health.

With a roughly 88 percent cure rate for breast cancer, Oeffinger says, it’s more important than ever to concentrate on the detrimental side effects that can accompany life-saving treatments.