Changing the Way We Approach Rehabilitation in Bone Marrow Transplantation

Abstract

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (alloBMT) is a highly intensive form of treatment for people with haematological cancer. Given its intensity and potential short and long term complications, there are significant risks of physical and psychological morbidity following treatment [1]. Several studies have identified that the side effects of an alloBMT can be long term and include physical impairments such as muscle weakness and reduced endurance; persistent symptoms such as fatigue; and poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) [2,3]. Whilst the side effects observed in allogeneic and autologous BMT are similar, those experienced following an alloBMT are more numerous and severe due to prolonged hospital length of stay and greater risk of debilitating long-term complications such as graftversus-host-disease [1,4]. The survival rate for patients treated with alloBMT is increasing [5] and therefore as this chronic disease population increases in size, there is awareness of the need to focus on prevention of long-term morbidity and addressing patient survivorship needs.