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Predictors of return to work after autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with multiple myeloma

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 56, pages 2904–2910 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Return to work (RTW) is a marker of functional recovery in cancer patients, with quality of life, financial and social implications. We investigated frequency and factors associated with RTW in a cohort of patients younger than 66 years, with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM), uniformly treated with a bortezomib-based induction followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Socio-economic and working status data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire. One hundred and eighty-six patients entered the study. Of whom, 145 (78%) where employed at diagnosis, which was more frequent in younger (median 55 vs. 60 years, p < 0.001), men (59.3% vs. 34.2%, p = 0.004), and with college studies (44.8% vs. 24.4%, p = 0.008). Forty-three (30%) of the 145 patients who had a job at diagnosis, RTW after ASCT in a median of 5 (range 1–27) months. Factors independently associated with RTW were having three or more children (HR 2.87, 95% CI 1.33–6.18), college studies (HR 2.78, 95% CI 1.21–6.41), and a family income >40 × 103€/year (HR 2.31, 95% CI 1.12–4.78). In conclusion, the frequency of RTW herein reported in MM patients seems lower than reported in other malignancies. The risk factors observed may guide the design RTW programs.

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Fig. 1: Cumulative incidence of RTW.
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Acknowledgements

This study was supported in part by grants 2017 SGR 1395 from the Catalan Government and RD16/0011/0028 Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hematology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau, Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Miquel Granell, Anna Barata, Jordi López-Pardo, Rodrigo Martino & Jorge Sierra

  2. Institut Català d’Oncologia, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Badalona, Spain

    Alicia Senín & Albert Oriol

  3. Health Outcomes and Behavior Department, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, US

    Anna Barata

  4. Amyloidosis and Myeloma Unit, Department of Hematology, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Maria-Teresa Cibeira, Carlos Fernández de Larrea & Laura Rosiñol

  5. Hematology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain

    Mercedes Gironella

  6. Hematology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Manresa, Barcelona, Spain

    Cristina Motlló

  7. Hematology Department, Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova, Lleida, Spain

    Antoni Garcia-Guiñón

  8. Hematology Department, Hospital del Mar-IMIM, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Randa Ben-Azaiz & Eugènia Abella

  9. Hematology Department, Hospital Universitari Parc Taulí Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain

    Alfons Soler

  10. Hematology Department, Hospital Universitari Mútua de Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain

    Marta Canet & Josep Ma Martí

Authors
  1. Miquel Granell
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Consortia

for the Group for the Study of Myeloma and Amyloidosis of Catalonia (GEMMAC)

  • Miquel Granell
  • , Alicia Senín
  • , Maria-Teresa Cibeira
  • , Mercedes Gironella
  • , Jordi López-Pardo
  • , Cristina Motlló
  • , Antoni Garcia-Guiñón
  • , Eugènia Abella
  • , Alfons Soler
  • , Josep Ma Martí
  • , Carlos Fernández de Larrea
  • , Albert Oriol
  •  & Laura Rosiñol

Contributions

MGr and AB designed the study. MGr, AS, M-TC, MGi, JL-P, CM, AG-G, EA, RB-A, J-MM, JS, CFL, AO, and LR identified candidates to the study, obtained informed consent, and collected data. MGr and RM analyzed and interpreted data and wrote the manuscript. All the authors reviewed the manuscript and approved the final version.

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Correspondence to Miquel Granell or Anna Barata.

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Granell, M., Senín, A., Barata, A. et al. Predictors of return to work after autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with multiple myeloma. Bone Marrow Transplant 56, 2904–2910 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41409-021-01429-0

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