The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on an Immunocompromised Patient with Allogeneic Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant: A Dual Perspective from Patient and Physician Standpoints

This collaborative article is co-authored by a haematologist and her patient who was immunocompromised following a bone marrow transplant for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), which was probably chemotherapy-induced following treatment for a BReast CAncer gene 1 (BRCA1)-mutated breast cancer. The patient shares her story of resilience up to her AML diagnosis and treatment, through the bone marrow transplant, and then on to the challenges faced as an immunocompromised patient during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The haematologist offers detailed insights into AML and treatment options, including chemotherapy and allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. She comments on the challenging journey of her patient, and the complexities of managing immunocompromised patients during the pandemic, who failed to respond sufficiently to vaccination. In addition, she outlines the prophylactic strategy implemented in her centre, and the introduction of alternative immunisation with monoclonal antibodies for this high-risk immunocompromised patient population. This case provides a unique combination of personal patient experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and medical insights.