Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute’s comprehensive cardiovascular program for cancer patients and survivors, now in its seventh year, has been recognized as a global center of excellence by the International Cardio-Oncology Society.

The cardio-oncology program started in 2015 by Heart and Vascular Institute cardiologist Deborah Sundlof and Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute hematologist/oncologist Ranju Gupta. Both are cardio-oncology program co-directors.

The Heart and Vascular Institute’s program received a gold center of excellence rating from IC-OS, the highest level awarded by the society.

The cardio-oncology program has served more than 650 patients and become a major initiative, said Sundlof, who also serves as a co-director of the Heart and Vascular Institute’s Women’s Heart Program.

Gupta said cardio-oncology is a relatively new field that is gaining recognition among cardiologists and oncologists as well as the public.