Late effects and quality of life

Treatment for malignant lymphoma is mostly done with either curative intent or long life expectancy and carries a risk for early as well as late side effects. Late effects after successful treatment of lymphoma and quality of life were first studied at OUH in the 1990ies. These have been followed up by a series of other mostly cross-sectional studies of lymphoma survivors relating to their life after lymphoma.

Based on late-effect research also in other types of cancer, mostly testicular cancer, the National Advisory Unit for Late Effect after Cancer Treatment (NAULECT) was founded around 2004. Nasjonal kompetansetjeneste for seneffekter etter kreftbehandling - Oslo universitetssykehus HF (oslo-universitetssykehus.no). The clinical lymphoma group has coordinated and participated in a large number of studies related to the long-term outcome of treatment in different types of lymphoma. These include long-term survivors of all types of lymphoma and different types of treatment. The main collaborators at NAULECT have been Prof. Sophie D. Fosså and Dr. Cecilie Kiserud. The work involves close national collaboration with other university hospitals and faculty at other departments, such as the Laboratory medicine and the departments of endocrinology, cardiology and pulmonology at OUH.

Since 2016, we have started long-term prospective trials in curatively treated lymphoma and breast cancer patients with comprehensive surveillance of long-term side effects and quality of life. 

We are currently planning a similar prospective trial for young adults with all types of cancer, specifically looking at the development of fatigue.

Ongoing larger projects in collaboration with NAULECT and the Nordic lymphoma group include:

The prospective trial: A prospective study of cardiovascular helath and fatigue development in survivors of breast cancer and lymphoma. Since 2016, over 600 patients included from diagnosis, and followed prospectively with clinical evaluation, PROMS and blood samples.

Large scale proteomic analysis in cancer-associated chronic fatigue - a search for biomarkers relevant to pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment

The HL-17 study: Hodgkin’s lymphoma: Risk and prevalence of long-term adverse effects and challenges for the health care service.

Life after Lymphoma - how can we individualize treatment and care to reduce complications and improve lymphoma survivorship in the Nordic countries

Cardiovascular diseases after high‐dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant for lymphoma: A Danish population‐based study