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. 2019 Feb;27(2):623-630.
doi: 10.1007/s00520-018-4350-7. Epub 2018 Jul 24.

"Improving to where?": treatment-related health risks and perceptions of the future among adolescents and young adults after hematopoietic cell transplantation

Eden R Brauer  1 , Huibrie C Pieters  2 , Patricia A Ganz  3 , Wendy Landier  4 , Carol Pavlish  5 , MarySue V Heilemann  6
Affiliations

"Improving to where?": treatment-related health risks and perceptions of the future among adolescents and young adults after hematopoietic cell transplantation

Eden R Brauer et al. Support Care Cancer. 2019 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: Despite the prevalence of hematological malignancies in early adulthood, very little is known about hematopoietic cell transplantation among adolescents and young adults, and even less is known about their transition from the completion of therapy to early survivorship. In this qualitative study, we investigated the impact of the cancer experience on sense of life potential and perception of the future from the perspectives of adolescents and young adults after hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with adolescents and young adults who underwent allogeneic or autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation between the ages of 15-29 years and were 6-60 months post-treatment. Interview transcripts were systematically coded based on constructivist grounded theory.

Results: Eighteen adolescents and young adults participated and described how they came to understand the lifelong, chronic nature of cancer survivorship. "Improving to where?" was a question raised in the post-treatment period that reflected participants' confusion about the goals of treatment and expectations for survivorship. Participants reported bracing themselves for "something bad" to deal with the uncertainty of medical and psychosocial effects of treatment. They struggled to move forward with their lives given their substantial health risks and found it necessary to "roll with the punches" in order to adjust to this new reality.

Conclusions: Adolescents and young adults who undergo hematopoietic cell transplantation are at significant risk for long-term and late effects in survivorship. Age-appropriate interventions are needed to support these survivors as they manage their fears about the future while enhancing health and well-being.

Keywords: Adolescents; Cancer; Late effects; Survivorship; Transplantation; Young adults.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. As corresponding author, I have full control of the data and can share it if it needs to be reviewed.

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