The effect of unrelated donor marrow transplantation on health-related quality of life: a report of the unrelated donor marrow transplantation trial (T-cell depletion trial)

Objective and subjective physical function in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients

We conducted a prospective study of adult allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients to assess pre- and post-HCT physical function. Baseline measurements included a wrist actigraphy, a 6 min walk test (6MWT), an international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), and a Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT) as well as serial post-HCT assessments of 6MWT, IPAQ, and FACT-BMT. Forty-seven patients were evaluable for functionality assessments, with a median follow-up of 54.5 months for surviving recipients. No patients demonstrated vigorous or very vigorous activity at any time during monitoring by wrist actigraphy; patients spent a median of 6 h daily sedentary. Self-reported activity via the IPAQ showed 36%, 43%, and 21% of subjects reporting light, moderate, and vigorous activity prior to HCT, respectively. Post-HCT 6MWTs on day +30 demonstrated the greatest association with subsequent survival and non-relapse mortality. A decline in 6MWT distance over time also demonstrated worsened overall survival. This study shows the feasibility of fitness assessments and the ability to risk stratify for subsequent mortality, particularly using the 6MWT on the day +30 single time point assessment and change scores from baseline to day +30 post HCT. These pilot findings suggest important targets for future study.

Psychosocial aspects of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has become a conventional and potentially curative treatment for various hematological diseases. As more sophisticated procedures have been developed and mortality rates have decreased, attention has shifted to the psychosocial challenges associated with transplantation. The psychosocial difficulties accompanying transplantation are addressed in the context of both quality of life (QOL) and psychopathological research. Among the psychiatric comorbidities of HSCT, anxiety, depression, sleep and sexual disorders, delirium and post-traumatic stress disorder are the most studied conditions. Recently, more attention has been focused on the psychosocial burden of caregivers. Devising recommendations for the management of psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial interventions in HSCT sufferers and close relatives is a major concern to consultation–liaison psychiatrists and transplant teams. This review synthesizes and critically evaluates the current literature on the psychosocial aspects of HSCT and appraises the clinical significance of these outcomes. Issues of QOL assessment; psychosocial functioning and QOL in the course of HSCT; impact of graft-versus-host disease and other predictors of QOL and psychosocial functioning; comorbid psychiatric disorders; and interventions to maintain or improve QOL and reduce psychopathology and psychosocial burden on family members are presented.

Sarcopenia and low muscle radiodensity associate with impaired FEV1 in allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients

BACKGROUND

Quantification of skeletal muscle using computed tomography (CT) is accessible using cancer patients' standard oncologic images. Reduced muscle mass may be related to reduced respiratory muscle strength; however, the impact of this on lung functional parameters is not characterized in adult allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHCT) recipients.

METHODS

A consecutive retrospective series (n = 296) of patients who had alloHCT at a comprehensive cancer centre between March 2005 and April 2015 were included. Pre-transplant CT scans were used to quantify skeletal muscle and adipose tissue at the fourth thoracic (T4) and/or third lumbar (L3) level. Tumour and patient characteristics were recorded, including forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1 ) by spirometry. Regression models were created to characterize predictive relationships.

RESULTS

A total of 296 patients (♂n = 161; ♀n = 135) were included, all of whom had chest CT as part of standard care; a subset of these (n = 215, 72.6%) also had abdominal CT. Diagnoses were non-Hodgkins lymphoma (n = 165), acute myeloid leukaemia (n = 66), Hodgkin's disease (n = 14), acute lymphocytic leukaemia (n = 14), myelodysplastic syndromes (n = 18), and other (n = 19). In multivariable linear regression adjusted for sex (P < 0.0001), age (P < 0.0001), haematopoietic cell transplantation-specific co-morbidity index (P = 0.010), and parameters of pulmonary function testing (defined by spirometry, P < 0.0001), both T4 muscle index [β 0.127 (95% confidence interval 0.019; 0.252), P < 0.0001] and T4 muscle radiodensity [β 0.132 (95% confidence interval 0.087; 0.505), P = 0.006] were independently associated with FEV1 ; disease risk index (P = 0.877) and Karnofsky performance status (P = 0.548) were not associated with FEV1 . Similar conclusions were obtained when L3 muscle index and radiodensity were considered. Unlike T4, L3 muscle index values can be compared with published cut-off values for sarcopenia. Overall rates of sarcopenia were uniformly higher in the HCT population than in age-matched and sex-matched patients with solid tumours [alloHCT ♂64.7% vs. solid tumour ♂56.6% (P < 0.001); alloHCT ♀57.6% vs. solid tumour ♀36.0% (P < 0.001)]. Significant but moderate correlations (P < 0.001) were found for muscle area and radiodensity between L3 and T4, for both men and women; adipose tissue quantity also correlated significantly (P < 0.001) between L3 and T4 for both men and women.

CONCLUSIONS

Lumbar or thoracic CT images are useful for body composition assessment in this population and reveal high rates of sarcopenia, similar to those reported in very elderly patients. Reduced muscle mass and radiodensity associate with impaired FEV1 even after adjustment for clinical covariables including co-morbidities, performance status, disease risk, and mild intrinsic pulmonary disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) defined by spirometry.

Palliative and End-of-Life Care for Patients With Hematologic Malignancies

Hematologic malignancies are a heterogeneous group of diseases with unique illness trajectories, treatment paradigms, and potential for curability, which affect patients' palliative and end-of-life care needs. Patients with hematologic malignancies endure immense physical and psychological symptoms because of both their illness and often intensive treatments that result in significant toxicities and adverse effects. Compared with patients with solid tumors, those with hematologic malignancies also experience high rates of hospitalizations, intensive care unit admissions, and in-hospital deaths and low rates of referral to hospice as well as shorter hospice length of stay. In addition, patients with hematologic malignancies harbor substantial misperceptions about treatment risks and benefits and frequently overestimate their prognosis. Even survivors of hematologic malignancies struggle with late effects, post-treatment complications, and post-traumatic stress symptoms that can significantly diminish their quality of life. Despite these substantial unmet needs, specialty palliative care services are infrequently consulted for the care of patients with hematologic malignancies. Several illness-specific, cultural, and system-based barriers to palliative care integration and optimal end-of-life care exist in this population. However, recent evidence has demonstrated the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of integrating palliative care to improve the quality of life and care of patients with hematologic malignancies and their caregivers. More research is needed to develop and test population-specific palliative and supportive care interventions to ensure generalizability and to define a sustainable clinical delivery model. Future work also should focus on identifying moderators and mediators of the effect of integrated palliative care models on patient-reported outcomes and on developing less resource-intensive integrated care models to address the diverse needs of this population.

Patient-reported outcomes in acute graft-versus-host disease: optimizing patient care and clinical trial endpoints

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) refer to patient perceived and reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL), functional status, and symptom burden. PROs have become an important measure in oncologic care to identify the impact of the disease and its treatment on a patient's health status. Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is an aggressive and potentially curative therapy for patients with high-risk hematologic malignancies. A common complication of HCT is graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which can be a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality, as well as a wide spectrum of physical and psychosocial effects. Quality of life and symptom burden have been shown to be important measures in the study of posttransplant complications, including chronic GVHD. We review the need for a novel tool in acute GVHD to capture disease symptoms and HRQOL to better understand patient symptoms, disease trajectory and outcome.

Short-Term Impact of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation on Psychiatric Morbidity and Quality of Life in Hematological Malignancies in Adults

BACKGROUND

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an established treatment for a number of malignancies. Quality of life (QOL) is an important marker for assessing arduous treatment modalities. Diagnosis of cancer, HSCT, and the physical and psychosocial sequelae of the intensive treatment lead to a deficit in the QOL of the recipient. This study aimed to assess the impact of HSCT on psychiatric morbidity and QOL in patients with hematological malignancies.

METHODS

A longitudinal pre-post study was conducted at a cancer research center. Thirty patients with hematological malignancies were assessed at three different time points for psychiatric symptoms and QOL. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Comprehensive psychopathological rating scale was used to assess the psychiatric symptoms. WHO QOL Bref and cancer-specific European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of life Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ) were used to measure the quality of life.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) age of the sample was 42.3 (12.8) years, with 24 males and 6 females. Most patients reported anxiety and depressive symptoms, reaching a peak at 3 week post-HSCT. The maximum deficit in QOL scores was seen at 3 weeks, with further improvement at 3-month post-transplant.

CONCLUSIONS

HSCT leads to an increase in symptoms and a decrease in QOL during the acute phase. In the long run, it leads to improvement in physical and psychological wellbeing, with improvement in QOL. The recent surge in the long-term survivors of the procedure calls for further research in this direction so as to aid in their full recovery.

What do transplant physicians think about palliative care? A national survey study

BACKGROUND

Despite its established benefits, palliative care (PC) is rarely utilized for hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients. We sought to examine transplant physicians' perceptions of PC.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of transplant physicians recruited from the American-Society-for-Blood-and-Marrow-Transplantation. Using a 28-item questionnaire adapted from prior studies, we examined physicians' access to PC services, and perceptions of PC. We computed a composite score of physicians' attitudes about PC (mean = 16.9, SD = 3.37) and explored predictors of attitudes using a linear mixed model.

RESULTS

277/1005 (28%) of eligible physicians completed the questionnaire. The majority (76%) stated that they trust PC clinicians to care for their patients, but 40% felt that PC clinicians do not have enough understanding to counsel HSCT patients about their treatments. Most endorsed that when patients hear the term PC, they feel scared (82%) and anxious (76%). Nearly half (46%) reported that the service name 'palliative care' is a barrier to utilization. Female sex (β = 0.85, P = .024), having <10 years of clinical practice (β = 1.39, P = .004), and perceived quality of PC services (β = 0.60, P < .001) were all associated with a more positive attitude towards PC. Physicians with a higher sense of ownership over their patients' PC issues (β = -0.36, P < .001) were more likely to have a negative attitude towards PC.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of transplant physicians trust PC, but have substantial concerns about PC clinicians' knowledge about HSCT and patients' perception of the term 'palliative care'. Interventions are needed to promote collaboration, improve perceptions, and enhance integration of PC for HSCT recipients.

Severity, course, and predictors of sleep disruption following hematopoietic cell transplantation: a secondary data analysis from the BMT CTN 0902 trial

Sleep disruption has received little attention in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The goal of this study was to describe severity, course, and predictors of sleep disruption following HCT. A secondary data analysis was conducted of the Blood and Marrow Transplantation Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN) 0902 study. Participants completed a modified version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index prior to transplant and 100 and 180 days post-transplant. Growth mixture models were used to characterize subgroups of patients based on baseline sleep disruption and change over time. A total of 570 patients (mean age 55, 42% female) were included in the current analyses. Patients could be grouped into four distinct classes based on sleep disruption: 1) clinically significant sleep disruption at baseline that did not improve over time (20%); 2) clinically significant sleep disruption at baseline that improved over time (22%); 3) sleep disruption that did not reach clinical significance at baseline and did not improve over time (45%); and 4) no sleep disruption at baseline or over time (13%). These data provide a more comprehensive understanding of sleep disruption that can be used to develop interventions to improve sleep in HCT recipients.

Trajectories of Quality of Life after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: Secondary Analysis of Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network 0902 Data

Quality of life is increasingly recognized as an important secondary endpoint of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The current study examined the extent to which attrition results in biased estimates of patient quality of life. The study also examined whether patients differ in terms of trajectories of quality of life in the first 6 months after transplantation. A secondary data analysis was conducted of 701 participants who enrolled in the Blood and Marrow Transplantation Clinical Trials Network 0902 trial. Participants completed the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36, a measure of quality of life, before undergoing transplantation and again 100 days and 180 days after transplantation. Results indicated that attrition resulted in slightly biased overestimates of quality of life but the amount of overestimation remained stable over time. Patients could be grouped into 3 distinct classes based on physical quality of life: (1) low and stable; (2) average and declining, then stable; and (3) average and stable. Four classes of patients emerged for mental quality of life: (1) low and stable; (2) average, improving, then stable; (3) higher than average (by almost 1 SD) and stable; and (4) average and stable. Taken together, these data provide a more comprehensive understanding of quality of life that can be used to educate HCT recipients and their caregivers.

Caring for the long-term survivor after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Survivors of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) are at risk of developing long-term complications such as subsequent malignancies and cardiopulmonary compromise. The prevalence of chronic health conditions approaches 75% among allogeneic HCT survivors and that for severe or life-threatening conditions exceeds 20%. This chapter describes the burden of morbidity carried by HCT survivors to help healthcare providers and policy makers understand the scope of the problem and the need for life-long follow-up and proactive care for this vulnerable population.

Quality of life and outcomes in patients⩾60 years of age after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation

Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has become an established standard of care for many older patients with hematologic malignancies. The effect of transplantation on the quality of life (QOL) of older patients, however, has not been well studied. We thus analyzed QOL in patients ⩾60 undergoing an allogeneic HCT compared with patients <60 years. Prospective psychometric instruments were administered to 351 patients who underwent HCT from 2003 to 2010. Psychometric data were assessed longitudinally by validated questionnaires: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT), Coping Inventory and the Profile of Mood State-Short Form. Patients ⩾60 reported better social (P=0.006) and functional well-being (P=0.05) with FACT assessment, and had better total scores, (P=0.043) across all time points. When adjusted for baseline QOL scores as a covariate, social well-being remained significantly better, whereas the other scores became non-significant. With a median follow-up of 49 months, there were no significant differences in OS, relapse-free survival, relapse or chronic GVHD. This study provides further evidence that advanced age should not be a barrier in the decision to pursue allogeneic HCT. Older patients achieved comparable QOL when compared with younger patients.

Quality of life and its socio-demographic and psychological determinants after bone marrow transplantation

OBJECTIVES

A host of medical, socio-demographic, and psychological factors that affect bone marrow transplantation (BMT) patients' quality of life (QOL) have been identified, but due to the methodological diversity of the studies, the findings have been contradictory. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of somatic status, social characteristics, and psychological symptoms on QOL in BMT patients.

METHODS

The study had a cross-sectional design. QOL was evaluated using the Hungarian version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT) scale. Anxiety and depression were assessed using Spielberger's State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (SSTAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). A questionnaire designed for the study was used to record socio-demographic variables.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty-one patients formed the study sample. Patients' QOL was better in our sample than in another study with similar mean time after BMT. BDI scores indicated mild depression; SSTAI scores corresponded with healthy population levels. QOL was strongly influenced by psychological symptoms (depression P < 0.001; anxiety P = 0.001; psychiatric comorbidity P = 0.001), employment status (P = 0.042), and gender (P = 0.05). The somatic factors influenced only separate aspects of QOL; somatic comorbidity only affected cancer-associated QOL (P = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

This is the first study on a Hungarian BMT sample that included economic factors in the assessment of QOL. Psychological variables were the strongest determinants of QOL in this study.

Influence of coping style on symptom interference among adult recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES

To investigate the influence of coping style on interference caused by a variety of common post-treatment symptoms after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

DESIGN

Longitudinal; secondary analysis of data from the original study that examined health-related quality-of-life variables (e.g., depression, well-being) in adult patients treated with conventional bone marrow transplantation or depleted T-cell bone marrow transplantation.

SETTING

Fifteen university medical centers in the United States.

SAMPLE

105 adult recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

METHODS

Patients were assessed via telephone-based interviews for coping style at baseline and for symptom interference in daily living six months post-treatment.

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES

Coping style and symptom interference.

FINDINGS

Neither age nor gender predicted symptom interference, with the exception of chronic graft-versus-host disease, where older patients experienced more interference at six months, and breathing symptoms, for which women experienced more interference than men at six months. Avoidant coping style at baseline predicted increased interference from symptoms, but emotion-focused and instrumental coping styles did not predict decreased interference.

CONCLUSIONS

A generalized avoidant coping style before treatment increased interference from common cancer symptoms six months after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

An intervention to teach alternate coping strategies should be implemented prior to treatment and tested for prevention of symptom-related life interference.

Predictors of health-related quality of life in patients treated with auto- and allo-SCT for hematological malignancies

Identifying factors that predict health-related quality of life (QOL) following hematopoietic SCT, is important in estimating patients' abilities to adjust to the consequences of their disease and treatment. As the studies that have been published on this subject are scattered, the present study aimed to systematically review prognostic factors for health-related QOL after auto- and allo-SCT in hematological malignancies. A systematic, computerized search in Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library was conducted from 2002 to June 2010. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using an adaptation of Hayden's criteria list. Qualitative data synthesis was performed to determine the strength of the scientific evidence. In all, 35 studies fulfilled the selection criteria. Strong-moderate evidence was found for GVHD, conditioning regimen, being female, younger age, receiving less social support and pre-transplant psychological distress as predictors of various aspects of health-related QOL following hematopoietic SCT. The results of this review may help transplant teams in selecting patients at risk for experiencing a diminished health-related QOL following hematopoietic SCT. Follow-up treatment can be provided in order to promote QOL.

Long-term recovery after hematopoietic cell transplantation: predictors of quality-of-life concerns

This prospective longitudinal study examined the quality of life (QOL) after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and identified risk factors of poor QOL in 312 adult autologous and allogeneic HCT patients. Physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being was assessed before HCT, 6 months, and 1, 2, and 3 years after HCT. For all HCT patients, physical QOL was stable from before to after HCT (P > .05); psychologic (P < .001), social (P < .001), and spiritual (P = .03) QOL improved at 6 months. Study noncompleters (because of illness or death) had worse QOL. Allogeneic patients reported worse physical and psychologic well-being (P < .05). Older patients reported worse physical but better social well-being regardless of HCT type (P < .05). Two or more domains were affected by race/ethnicity, household income, and education in autologous patients, and by body mass index (BMI), decline in BMI, primary diagnosis, and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in allogeneic patients (P < .05). At 3 years, 74% of HCT patients were employed full or part time. Older autologous patients with lower pre-HCT income were less likely to work (P < .05); allogeneic patients with chronic GVHD were less likely to work (P = .002). Multidisciplinary efforts to identify and support vulnerable subgroups after HCT need to be developed.

Health-related quality of life following haematopoietic cell transplantation: patient education, evaluation and intervention

Health-related quality of life (QOL) is a vital concern in the pre-treatment consent process and post-treatment care of recipients of haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We propose that comprehensive care of such patients requires an integration of knowledge of the impact of HCT on QOL, assessment of QOL, as well as resources available for intervention. This knowledge may significantly improve patient care when incorporated into daily clinical practice in the transplant setting. As a framework for this approach, this article reviews the literature on QOL after allogeneic and autologous HCT for adults with haematological malignancies. We then discuss evidence in support of the beneficial impact of clinical QOL assessment, and finally evaluate behavioural interventions that show promise to maintain or improve QOL after HCT.

Patient-reported outcomes for acute graft-versus-host disease prevention and treatment trials

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) such as health-related quality of life, functional status, and symptom burden have been recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as legitimate measures of clinical benefit for sponsors seeking drug approval. However, in practice, very few agents have been approved based on these endpoints. Successful use of PROs in registration trials requires rigorous methods to overcome numerous logistic and analytic barriers. Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and its prevention and treatment are the goals of many clinical trials in the hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) research community. This article summarizes issues to be considered in the use of PROs as endpoints in aGVHD prevention and treatment trials.

Quality of life after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation

High-dose therapy with allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) offers effective control and potential cure of hematopoietic malignancies, but with the cost of associated morbidity that includes adverse effects on quality of life (QOL). A growing body of literature has characterized this impact. Longitudinal studies suggest early moderate impairments that largely return to pretransplantation levels by day 100; the majority of studies suggest that greater than 60% of patients report good to excellent QOL in years 1 to 4 after HCT. Comparisons of allogeneic HCT with autologous HCT and standard-dose chemotherapy suggest impairments in QOL and a different trajectory of recovery in allogeneic HCT, but these conclusions are limited by confounding variables. Cross-sectional studies suggest larger and more persistent decrements in QOL in comparison with matched noncancer controls and population normative data. Acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) are significant threats to QOL. Behavioral interventions show promise to maintain or improve quality of life after allogeneic HCT. The review concludes with recommendations to investigators and clinicians as the state of this research advances.

Sexual functioning in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation: a longitudinal study

Patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT) reported numerous sexual difficulties pretransplantation and at 1- and 3-years post transplantation. The most commonly reported problems pretransplant were a lack of sexual interest for men and self-perceived unattractiveness for women. At year 1, men reported more concern about physical attractiveness and increased problems with erection, ejaculation and orgasm. Women reported more sexual problems across all categories. At year 3, difficulties for men remained relatively consistent or decreased compared to year 1 with the exception of an increased concern about physical appearance. At year 3, women reported increased sexual interest; concerns about body appearance, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse and orgasm remained higher than at baseline, although all had decreased from year 1. Half of patients at all time points reported no discussion of sexuality with their health care provider. Baseline level of depression was significantly and positively related to sexual functioning at year 3 post transplant. These results suggest that sexual problems are significant for BMT survivors and that treatment of depression and health-care-provider education are possible interventional targets for improving sexual function and quality of life following BMT.

Transplantation’s Greatest Challenges: Advances in Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease

Clinical research into chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) lags behind that in other areas in the field. Interest in chronic GVHD has increased significantly in recent years for various reasons, including advances in biotechnology, a perceived increase in the incidence of chronic GVHD, and decreased regimen-related mortality, resulting in a new emphasis on quality of life and absence of disability as endpoints of major significance in transplantation survivors. In this overview, we address 3 key areas related to chronic GVHD that hold the highest promise for major advances in the near future: pathobiology, response criteria, and therapy.