Childhood to adult transition and long-term follow-up after blood and marrow transplantation

Abstract

The use of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or blood and marrow transplantation (BMT) is on the increase worldwide. With BMT's increasing utilization and increasing success, the number of BMT survivors in the United States alone is expected to surpass 500 000 by the year 2030. BMT survivors are susceptible to a host of long-term side effects and complications. The pediatric and adolescent and young adult (AYA) populations comprise an increasing proportion of BMT survivors. Though these populations are both at risk of a specific set of sequelae and faced with the additional challenge of transitioning to adult care, no previous literature has addressed their specific challenges. In this review, we illustrate with clinical vignettes the need for focused and specific survivorship clinics for pediatric/AYA BMT survivors. We then focus on the following areas pertaining to pediatric BMT survivorship and care: (1) psychological health, (2) neurocognition, (3) endocrine health, (4) infertility resources, (5) issues in transition from pediatric to adult clinicians, (6) preventative services and (7) cost of care issues.