congestive heart failure + childhood leukemia

[gx7pyro]

cure? a close friend has both congestive heart failure and stage 2-3 childhood leukemia. (thats what she told me). she told me that her doctor said that treating one would make the other worse, and could lead to potential death. however, leaving it alone could lead to the same result. question 1 - is it true that treating one would make the other worse? like treating leukemia with a bone marrow transplant affect the heart failure? or would a heart transplant affect the leukemia?question 2 - is there any way to treat this mix of diseases?thanks in advance.

[merlindeguerre]

It's more a case that with a weak heart she wouldn't survive a bone marrow transplant, and with a weak immune system a heart transplant and the drugs to stop her rejecting the new heart would leave her with no immune system at all which could equally kill her.Chemotherapy can be highly effective at treating leukemia and new drugs are being developed all the time. If the leukemia can be pushed into remission, then a doctor would be more willing to try a heart transplant if required with a much greater chance of success.