Comorbidity profile of adult survivors at 20 years following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation

Numerous chronic medical conditions and complications can arise following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) that may have a negative impact on survival and quality of life. Objective The purpose of the present study was to review the comorbidities of a single‐center cohort of allogeneic HCT recipients that survived 20 years postallogeneic transplantation. Methods We retrospectively investigated 172 patients that underwent allogeneic HCT at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre between 1979 and 1998 and who survived at least 20 years post‐HCT. Results The most frequent individual comorbidities documented were dyslipidemia (29%), hypertension (31%), osteoporosis (15%), hypothyroidism (15%), and depression/anxiety (13%). Follow‐up data following the 20‐year mark were available for 135 patients, overall survival (OS) of that group at 5 and 10 years was 94% and 90%, respectively. When grouped by the number of concurrent comorbidities, there was a significant difference in OS between the groups with 0‐1, 2‐3, and ≥4 comorbidities (P = .01). Conclusions Evidently, long‐term allogeneic HCT recipients may develop a number of comorbidities that negatively influence survival even past the 20‐year post‐transplant mark. These findings warrant the continuous long‐term medical follow‐up of allogeneic transplant patients, regardless of age or time that has lapsed post‐HCT.