Health-related quality of life in acute myeloid leukaemia and multiple myeloma survivors undergoing autologous progenitor stem cell transplantation: a retrospective analysis

Abstract

Background

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a specific therapeutic method used for biomodulation antitumour therapy of haematological malignancies and of solid tumours. It is also used for the therapy of non-tumour and hereditary diseases.

Aim

To analyse the selected psychosocial, health and demographic aspects of quality of life (QoL) in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and multiple myeloma (MM) survivors undergoing autologous progenitor stem cell transplantation (PSCT).

Materials/Methods

The total number of AML survivors was 12 (7 male, 5 female). The total number of MM survivors was 32 (18 male, 14 female). The average age of AML survivors was 47.5 years old. Average age of MM survivors was 60 years old. The Czech version of the international generic European Quality of Life Questionnaire, Version EQ-5D, was used. The effect of selected psychosocial, health and demographic aspects of QoL was determined by means of analysis of variance. The descriptive analysis was used for evaluation of QoL questionnaires.

Results

The above-mentioned aspects proved statistically significant dependence of QoL (EQ-5D score and EQ-5D VAS) on age in both cohorts (p<0.01), religion in AML cohort (p<0.05), smoking abuse in both cohorts (p<0.01), level of education in AML cohort (p<0.05), increasing number of associated diseases in both cohorts (p<0.05) and type of disease (p<0.05). Global QoL in AML survivors is at a much higher level than in MM survivors undergoing autologous PSCT.

Conclusions

Low QoL correlates with increasing age of survivors treated with autologous PSCT. QoL in survivors who underwent autologous PSCT and believed in God was higher than in survivors who were non-believers. Low QoL correlates with smoking abuse. In both cohorts of survivors we proved lower QoL in smokers in comparison with non-smokers or former smokers. Low QoL in AML survivors with low level of education, meaning survivors with elementary and apprentice level education, has been proved. Low QoL correlates with increasing number of associated diseases in both cohorts of survivors.