POST-TRANSPLANT care has demonstrated that collaboration between hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) specialists and local oncologists can safely enhance patient outcomes while reducing caregiver burdens in a recently published research article. A multicenter randomized clinical trial, involving 302 patients across five states, evaluated the efficacy of a shared care model versus the traditional centralized care provided solely at HCT centers.
The study, conducted between December 2017 and December 2021 at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and eight local oncology practices, sought to address the challenges faced by patients living far from HCT centers. Participants, who underwent allogeneic HCT, were randomized into two groups: a shared care model or usual care. Shared care involved alternating visits between the HCT center and local oncologists through the first 100 days post-transplant, while usual care required all follow-ups to occur at the central HCT facility.
Key findings revealed that day 100 nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was noninferior in the shared care group compared to usual care (2.6% vs. 2.7%, respectively). Additionally, patients in the shared care group reported improved quality of life (QOL) at day 100 as measured by the FACT-BMT and QLQ-C30 scales, with mean score improvements of 6.6 and 8.8 points, respectively. By day 180, however, QOL scores between the two groups converged, showing no significant differences.
The trial highlighted the shared care model’s potential to mitigate the logistical and emotional burdens associated with frequent long-distance travel to HCT centers. Improved early QOL outcomes emphasize the value of engaging local oncologists in post-HCT patient care, fostering a more accessible and patient-centric approach.
While overall survival rates and longer-term QOL remained comparable, the findings underscore the feasibility of integrating local oncology practices into specialized post-HCT care.
Reference: Abel GA et al. Shared Local Oncology Care After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. JAMA Oncol. 2025. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2024.5786.
Anaya Malik | AMJ
