Symptoms and Quality of Life: Before and after stem cell transplantation in cancer

Objective: This study was conducted thinking that it was extremely important in terms of the disease and treatment to assess the symptoms that may be encountered before and after a stem cell transplantation and quality of life. Methodology: A prospective longitudinal design was used.The study was completed in two years on 82 patients who underwent transplantation at the bone marrow transplantation unit. Data were collected using a questionnaire, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale, and the Short Form-36 quality of life scale. Results: It was observed that the patients had low mean scores of physical and mental quality of life both before and after transplantation; there was an increase in the mean scores of all the symptoms and primarily of fatigue after the stem cell transplantation as compared to before it; and the mean scores of physical and mental quality of life further declined (p<0.05). Conclusion: Quality of life of patients who underwent stem cell transplantation is adversely affected in the periods immediately before and after transplantation. Patients’ quality of life worsens as the severity of symptoms experienced by patients increases.