Dr Jennifer Vaughn: We Can Provide Aggressive, Effective Treatment, but Help Patients Maintain Quality of Life

Typically, patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) receive aggressive chemotherapy treatment that requires long hospital stays, but it is possible to put the foundation in place for these patients to receive support in the outpatient setting in order for them to maintain quality of life and remain close to the people who matter to them, explained Jennifer Vaughn, MD, of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital.

Transcript

Your earlier research has shown the benefits of early discharge to an outpatient setting after intensive chemotherapy for AML or MDS. Does this still hold true? And how can value-based care enhance this practice?

So that was a study that I participated in during my fellowship at the University of Washington Fred Hutch Cancer Center. And yes, I absolutely do think that its findings are relevant, primarily because the patients with acute leukemias who are eligible to receive higher doses of chemotherapy or attempt the curative therapy, still, the treatment remains the same: it's still very high doses of chemo followed often—at most institutions—by a very prolonged hospital stay. As you can imagine, this really influences the mental health and quality of life of a patient who is not only now dealing with a new very serious cancer diagnosis and the side effects of their treatment, but also become very isolated from things that they love to do on a daily basis. It becomes more difficult for them to see the people that they like to spend time with. In addition to that, it becomes very hard on the caregivers as well.

The goal of that study was to try to provide patients with equivalent, aggressive, and effective care but also allow them to improve their overall experience in the posttreatment setting. I think that is something we should always be striving to do but do it in a safe manner. As we said in the study, it was extremely important for us to have outpatient resources and supportive care, space, and providers in place in order to provide the much needed supportive therapy that they need after treatments. This should only be done with the greatest thought that goes into laying the groundwork for it ahead of time and knowing that you have the space and resources and expertise to be able to provide it.