New evidence suggests that there is a risk of solid cancers after bone marrow transplantation (BMT).
This risk was revealed in a study of 2129 patients, who had BMT for haematological (blood) malignancies, followed for more than 20 years. In all, 29 patients developed solid cancers, representing a twofold increased risk compared with the healthy population. The most common solid cancer sites were the liver, mouth and cervix. The researchers also found that those who were under 34 years of age at the time of BMT were at greater risk of chronic graft versus host disease (J Clin Oncol, 2001; 19; 464-71).