Heart-to-Heart #16: Erin Zammett Ruddy of Glamour
July 24, 2006 by Lei
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Yesterday, I posted about the potential for cancer drug Gleevec to cause congestive heart failure. Via Dr. Wes, I read the cancer diary of Glamour editor Erin Zammett Ruddy who was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia in 2001. In her entry this month, she wrote about Gleevec:
I’m only 28, but I need to decide soon whether I want to try to conceive due to the health risks involved. To get pregnant, I’d have to go off Gleevec—the drug that got me into remission—because of the danger of miscarriage and birth defects. That means I might relapse, and if I do it’s better to be young, when my body is healthy enough to fight back. I could also stop Gleevec for a short time to harvest my eggs, then start back on the drug and have a surrogate mother carry the baby for me. Nick and I are going to see Dr. Mauro, my oncologist, in a few weeks to weigh the risks and consider our options. I’m excited, but also scared that he might caution us against trying.
All the best, Erin! We’re thinking of you.
Technorati Tags: heart, heart disease, heart failure, side effects, gleevec, glivec, cml, chronic myelogenous leukemia, cancer
