Preliminary quality-of-life findings of patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant utilizing the city of hope national medical center and functional assessment of cancer therapy instruments

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Advances in clinical and supportive care have significantly improved survival in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients, resulting in greater interest in the long-term morbidity and quality of life (QOL) of patients undergoing this procedure. SIGNIFICANCE: As the number of HSCT survivors increases, longitudinal studies designed to collect preand post-HSCT QOL data will provide clinicians and researchers with important information regarding changes and adaptations in physical, psychosocial, and other QOL domains. METHODS: The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) is conducting a pilot, longitudinal study of HSCT recipients’ QOL to measure physical functioning and psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual well-being at baseline (pre-HSCT) and at day 100, 6 months, and annually post HSCT utilizing the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 Health Survey, City of Hope (COH) Quality of Life in Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Survivors, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT) instruments. RESULTS: Since August 2001, 43 patients have received an autologous HSCT and completed their pre-HSCT, day-loo, and 6-month post-HSCT QOL questionnaires. Forty-nine percent of participants are female, 93% are nonHispanic white, and the median age at transplant was 54 years (range, 27-70). Patients received transplants for lymphoma (79%) or multiple myeloma (21%). All have survived 1 year post HSCT, 8 of whom have relapsed. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance, and preliminary results regarding QOL as measured by the FACT-BMT and COH-BMT are reported below as means and standard deviations (SD). No statistically significant differences in the FACT-BMT total score or subscale scores were found across the 3 assessments,