title: Case report of a patient with left ventricular assistance device undergoing chemotherapy for a new diagnosis of lung cancer.
abstract: The optimal management of cancer in patients with severe heart failure is not defined. This issue is particularly challenging when a diagnosis of limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is made incidentally in the context of evaluating patient for candidacy for cardiac transplantation. Limited-stage SCLC is typically managed on a curative therapeutic paradigm with combined modality approach involving chemotherapy and radiation. Even with excellent performance status and good organ function, the presence of severe cardiomyopathy poses significant challenges to the delivery of even single modality approach with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, let alone the typical curative combined modality approach. With mechanical left ventricular devices to provide cardiac support, treatment options for cancer in the setting of advanced heart failure may be improved. Here we discuss the therapeutic dilemma involving a patient with severe cardiomyopathy and left ventricular assistant device (LVAD) who was found to have limited-stage SCLC during the evaluation process for cardiac transplantation.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Presence Saint Joseph Hospital, Chicago, IL 60657, USA.
authors: Maliha
authors: M
authors: Khan
authors: Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Sindh 74200, Pakistan.
authors: Anum
authors: 0000-0002-5570-6735
authors: A
authors: Wasim
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Presence Saint Joseph Hospital, Chicago, IL 60657, USA.
authors: Aibek E
authors: 0000-0003-1604-1053
authors: AE
authors: Mirrakhimov
authors: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors: Blaithin A
authors: 0000-0001-8585-2787
authors: BA
authors: McMahon
authors: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors: Daniel P
authors: 0000-0002-3407-0248
authors: DP
authors: Judge
authors: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors: Linda C
authors: 0000-0002-7708-480X
authors: LC
authors: Chu
authors: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors: Ashtami
authors: A
authors: Banavali
authors: Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
authors: Amer M
authors: 0000-0001-7017-8160
authors: AM
authors: Zeidan