Clinical Research

The mission of the Cardiology clinical research team is to eliminate cardiac complications arising from cancer treatment and to provide optimal management of pre-existing heart disease to ensure proper delivery of the most effective cancer treatment available through patient care, research, prevention, and education. We are funded by the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to carry out a clinical study to determine whether genetic markers can be used to predict patients’ predisposition to develop doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

Some of the clinical research projects include:

Early Detection and Prediction of Chemotherapy Induced Cardiac Toxicity in Breast Cancer Patients
Principal Investigator: Jose Banchs, M.D.
The goal of this clinical research study is to learn whether different ways of viewing echocardiogram pictures along with blood tests can help to see heart-related side effects of chemotherapy and trastuzumab earlier than the usual tests.

Accuracy of an Echo-Stress Protocol Using Regadenoson With Speckle Tracking
Principal Investigator: Jose Banchs, M.D.
The goal of this clinical research study is to compare regadenoson nuclear stress testing with echocardiography strain measurements (an ultrasound imaging method that measures hearts function) in detecting coronary artery disease.

Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial: Chemotherapy Induced Cardiomyopathy
Principal Investigator: Kaveh Karimzad, M.D.
The primary objective of this trial is to determine if cardiac resychronization defibrillator (CRT-D) in high-risk patients with chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy will significantly improve the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by echocardiography within 6 months of initiating CRT without adversely affecting mortality. The study population will consist of patients with approved guideline-based indication for CRT-D. All subjects will receive CRT-D device with resynchronization therapy and potential for defibrillation as required.

The secondary objectives are to: 1) determine the effects of CRT on all-cause mortality; 2) determine by echocardiographic evaluation at 6 months if CRT therapy improves left ventricular volume at end systole (LVESV) and end diastole (LVEDV).

The tertiary objectives are to evaluate CRT therapy at 6 months on: 1) NYHA functional class when compared to baseline; and 2) change in atrial size. In addition, during the 6-month clinical course, the effects of CRT on the frequency of heart failure with the end point an inpatient hospitalization with augmented treatment for heart failure will be evaluated in the study population.