Quality of life in survivors of bone marrow transplant

Although prospects for long-term survival after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) have increased, little is known about the nature or quality of that survival. Concern over the quality of life (QL) of survivors thus becomes increasingly important. This study attempts to define the concept of QL in a small sample of BMT survivors, 1–3 years after transplant, and to identify the factors influencing the quality of survival.

Interpretative phenomenological analysis of in-depth interviews indicated that survivors, despite lingering side-effects, viewed their QL as the same or better than before BMT, thus challenging the long-standing impression that they experience a less than optimal QL. However, whilst many similarities between survivors have been identified, and the global impression was that they were ‘doing well’, this must not overshadow the fact that one survivor described a life of ‘misery … disability … aloneness … and steady decline’. There is little doubt that carers must remain sensitive to individual differences and promote collaboration within the healthcare team to meet the often complex needs of BMT survivors.