Chronic graft-versus-host disease: is there an alternative to the conventional treatment?
Despite conventional and new therapies for the treatment of chronic GVHD (cGVHD), this syndrome continues to account for significant morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. With the expanded use of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, matched unrelated as well as mismatched related donors there is an increased incidence of cGVHD that poses a new clinical challenge. Over the past 10 years some new agents have been used, particularly, as a salvage therapy for the treatment of cGVHD. Many of the new agents discussed in this paper may have a role in the future as a therapy for cGVHD. Randomized clinical trials must be performed earlier in the course of cGVHD to establish the efficacy of these new drugs.
Gaziev
D
D
Divisione di Ematologia e Centro Trapianti di Midollo Osseo di Muraglia, Azienda Ospedaliera di Pesaro, Pesaro, Italy.
Galimberti
M
M
Lucarelli
G
G
Polchi
P
P
D002908:Chronic Disease; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
D013792:Thalidomide; D016559:Tacrolimus