Trends in Outcome of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: 5000 Transplantations and 30 Years of Single-Center Experience.

In this single-center analysis, we evaluated the trends in 5185 hematopoietic cell transplantations performed between 1990 and 2022. The study group comprised 3237 allogeneic (alloHCT) and 1948 autologous (autoHCT) hematopoietic cell transplantations. In the multivariate analysis, there was an improvement in event-free-survival (EFS) after autoHCT (HR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.7, p < 0.0001) due to reduced cumulative incidence of relapse in the last five years (56% in 2010-2014 vs. 38% in 2015-2022). An improvement in EFS after alloHCT over time was observed (HR 0.33, 95% CI 0.23-0.48, p < 0.0001), which was due to reduced non-relapse mortality. No difference in cumulative relapse incidence was observed over the last decade for allografted patients. Survival after autoHCT improved in Hodgkin's disease (HR 0.1, 95% CI 0.1-0.3), multiple myeloma (HR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.7) and solid tumors (HR 0.2, 95% CI 0.2-0.4), while after alloHCT, improvement was observed in acute myeloid leukemia (HR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.5), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (HR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.5), Hodgkin's disease (HR 0.1, 95% CI 0.0-0.4), non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (HR 0.2, 95% CI 0.0-0.6), inborn diseases (HR 0.2, 95% CI 0.2-0.4) and acquired aplastic anemia with matched related donors and matched unrelated donors (HR 0.3, 95% CI 0.2-0.8).

Regional adaptation of the education in palliative and end-of-life Care Pediatrics (EPEC-Pediatrics) curriculum in Eurasia.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric palliative care (PPC) is a priority to improve pediatric hematology oncology (PHO) care in Eurasia. However, there are limited regional opportunities for PPC education. We describe the adaptation and implementation of a bilingual end-user Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (EPEC)-Pediatrics course for PHO clinicians in Eurasia. METHODS: Due to COVID-19, this course was delivered virtually, consisting of prerecorded, asynchronous lectures, and a bilingual workshop with interactive lectures and small group sessions. A pre-postcourse design was used to evaluate the knowledge acquisition of the participants including their knowledge alignment with World Health Organization (WHO) guidance, ideal timing of palliative care, and comfort in providing palliative care to their patients. Questions were mostly quantitative with multiple choice or Likert scale options, supplemented by free-text responses. RESULTS: A total of 44 (76%) participants from 14 countries completed all components of the course including pre- and postcourse assessments. Participant alignment with WHO guidance improved from 75% in the pre- to 90% in the postcourse assessments (p < 0.001). After participation, 93% felt more confident controlling the suffering of children at the end of life, 91% felt more confident in prescribing opioids and managing pain, and 98% better understood how to hold difficult conversations with patients and families. Most participants (98%) stated that they will change their clinical practice based on the skills and knowledge gained in this course. CONCLUSIONS: We present a successful regional adaptation of the EPEC-Pediatrics curriculum, including novel delivery of course content via a virtual bilingual format. This course resulted in significant improvement in participant attitudes and knowledge of PPC along with an understanding of the ideal timing of palliative care consultation and comfort in providing PPC to children with cancer. We plan to incorporate participant feedback to improve the course and repeat it annually to improve access to high-quality palliative care education for PHO clinicians in Eurasia.

Understanding the Process and Challenges for Return-to-Work Post-Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation from a Musculoskeletal Perspective: A Narrative Review.

The current paper seeks to inform healthcare professionals on how adapting various components of return to work (RTW) programs that are already in use by other musculoskeletal rehabilitation settings can help optimize return to work process for patients with or without musculoskeletal manifestations, posthematopoietic cell transplantation. Since there is no universally agreed RTW structure for hematopoietic cell transplant patients, a narrative approach has been taken utilizing evidence from the existing musculoskeletal return to work assessment publications to help draw parallel for the hematopoietic cell transplant patients. Databases were searched including PUBMED, CINHAL, AMED, SCOPUS, and Cochrane using keywords RTW, functional restoration program, hematopoietic cell transplant, bone marrow transplant, stem cell transplant, and musculoskeletal functional assessment. The authors have managed to outline and propose a structured RTW assessment and monitoring program which can aid in getting patients back to employment by utilizing the functional capacity and job evaluation to help hematopoietic cell transplantation patients reintegrate socially. Patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplant require additional support and a robust assessment system to allow safe RTW. The proposed model of RTW assessment can prove to be beneficial in helping patients return to work safely. Clinical Significance. To acknowledge the individuality in functional limitation is important in determining not only the rehab needs but also the RTW capabilities. The proposed RTW plan not only promotes an individualized approach to patients but also provides a structure for return to work assessments for hematopoietic cell transplantation patients, thus, eliminating the need for guess work by healthcare professionals. In line with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) recommendations, a RTW assessment combined with a job evaluation helps healthcare professionals and stakeholders to understand the unique challenges and strengths of a patient and thereby design an individualized therapy approach.