title: Recovery after stem-cell transplantation for hematologic diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although the number of autologous and allogeneic stem-cell transplantations (SCT) is increasing, relatively little information about recovery after transplantation is available. Quantitative information appropriate for patient counseling is difficult to discern from the literature. We sought to suggest reasonable expectations for recovery and symptoms after SCT for hematologic malignancies and other disorders using the following measures: (1) objective measures of health status, such as frequency of clinic visits, need for rehospitalization, medication usage, work status, and overall and event-free survival; (2) qualitative assessment of quality of life, such as returning to a normal life, resumption of normal activities, satisfaction with appearance, and whether recovery has occurred; and (3) quantification of specific bothersome symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Autologous and allogeneic SCT recipients at a tertiary-care transplant center participated in the prospective, longitudinal questionnaire study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred twenty patients were studied. Questionnaire response rates at 6, 12, and 24 months range from 85% to 88% among survivors. Although autologous patients had better event-free and overall survival, fewer symptoms, and more complete recovery at 6 months, these advantages had largely equalized by 12 months. Specific bothersome symptoms were reported by less than 24% of patients after transplantation, except for fatigue and financial and sexual difficulties, which were more prevalent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings may help counsel patients considering transplantation and educate them about reasonable expectations for recovery. Overall, the low level of bothersome symptoms and continued recovery through the first year after transplantation are encouraging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA. stephanie_lee@dfci.harvard.edu
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fairclough
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Soiffer
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Schlossman
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Antin
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Weeks
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015996:Survival Rate; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology