Open AccessAdolescent survivor of childhood Acute Myeloid Leukaemia undertakes pregnancy with a severe anthracycline induced cardiomyopathy and risk taking behaviours
Author(s) -
Anne Tripaydonis,
Rachel Conyers
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
case reports in internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2332-7251
pISSN - 2332-7243
DOI - 10.5430/crim.v3n4p64
Subject(s) - medicine , anthracycline , cardiomyopathy , pregnancy , childhood cancer , myeloid leukemia , pediatrics , health care , young adult , narrative , cancer , heart failure , breast cancer , biology , economics , genetics , economic growth , linguistics , philosophy
A 16-year-old female survivor of childhood Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) presented 12 weeks pregnant to her haematology oncology late effects appointment. Having failed to attend recent healthcare appointments her severe cardiomyopathy secondary to chemotherapy during childhood was poorly managed and she had missed the opportunity to discuss her reproductive plans and have her periconceptional care delivered. This case emphasises the challenges in engaging Adolescent and Young Adult-aged (AYA-aged) cancer survivors with their healthcare and the importance of narrative medicine, adequate health literacy and early transition to adult services for improved medical care.