[Severe heart failure in consequence of late anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity--case report].
BACKGROUND
Anthracyclines are known cardiotoxic agents. Anthracycline therapy increases the risk of long-term cardiac adverse effects in oncology patients.


METHODS
We report the case of a young male patient with severe congestive heart failure. The patient was treated for childhood acute myeloid leukemia by chemotherapy containing anthracyclines. Manifest dilated cardiomyopathy was developing ten years after the termination of chemotherapy with symptoms of left ventricular heart failure. Seventeen years following the end of cytostatic therapy the patient underwent heart transplantantation as ultimum refugium.


CONCLUSIONS
Late cardiac complications may become a serious therapeutic problem. In such cases, the heart transplantation seems to be the only effective approach otherwise terminal forms of the heart failure.
Urbanová
Dagmar
D
Ustav Patologickej Fyziológie, Oddelenie Klinickej Patofyziológie, Lekárska Fakulta UK, Sasinkova 4, 811 08 Bratislava, Slovenská Republika. dagmar.urbanova@fmed.uniba.sk
Bubanská
Eva
E
Hrebík
Marián
M
Mladosievicová
Beata
B
D000293:Adolescent; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000601:surgery; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male
D018943:Anthracyclines; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic