Patients receiving allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation and clinical outcomes after early access to palliative care.

Abstract

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation is a potential curative therapy for otherwise fatal haematological diseases. This treatment modality is complex, burdensome, and can involve considerable or life-threatening adverse events requiring high-quality symptom control. In contrast to patients with solid tumours, the transition to end-of-life care can be abrupt if the underlying disease relapses or other severe transplantation-related complications occur. This Viewpoint elucidates the relationships between transplantation and palliative care teams and discusses why patients who have undergone transplantation might benefit considerably from early admittance to palliative care, even when the treatment goal is clearly curative. Close and early collaboration between transplantation teams and palliative care teams is clearly endorsed.