Original BMT Study

Individuals diagnosed with cancer or other life-threatening conditions are treated with chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. Sometimes, blood or marrow transplantation (BMT) is offered as treatment. With ongoing improvements in the treatment strategies, the number of patients surviving these conditions continues to increase. However, cure of the underlying disease may not always be accompanied by full restoration of health. Survivors may be at an increased risk of long-term complications.

City of Hope and University of Minnesota researchers initially assembled approximately 2500 patients who had undergone BMT between 1974 and 1998 and survived two or more years. Findings from this study helped describe the health (both physical and mental) of individuals who had received a BMT during childhood or adulthood. Specifically, this study described the long-term term survival after BMT, the health of patients who had received BMT for chronic myeloid leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia or acute myeloid leukemia. The study was also able to describe the health care utilization by long-term survivors, and their health habits. Finally, the study was able to describe the overall burden of morbidity borne by individuals receiving BMT.

Expanded Study

The original BMT Long-term Follow-up Study is undergoing expansion (by including patients transplanted up until 2014 at COH, UMN or UAB. The original study is being extended (with longer follow-up of the original cohort of patients) to form the Expanded BMT Long-term Follow-up Study. This study will continue to examine the health and wellbeing of individuals undergoing BMT. In addition, we are now inviting leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma patients who were treated without a BMT in order to examine their health as well. In addition, we are collecting biological samples (such as saliva), to pinpoint potential biomarkers that will allow survivors to receive the most appropriate, timely and risk-based preventive care in order to help ease the late effects of therapy.

The Expanded BMT Long-term Follow-up Study endeavors to:

• Understand the long-term health issues faced by patients undergoing BMT and those treated without BMT and compare these health issues with an age- and sex-matched sibling comparison group

• Store genetic material for future studies in order to identify which survivors are at highest risk for long-term complications, and how best to treat these conditions.

The Expanded BMT Long-term Follow-up Study will be the largest study of its kind. We aim to enroll about 9000 children and adults who have undergone BMT at COH, UMN or UAB between 1974 and 2014. We will also enroll 3000 children and adults treated for leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma without BMT. Additionally, we will enroll 3000 siblings to serve as a comparison group.