Toward biomarkers for chronic graft-versus-host disease: National Institutes of Health consensus development project on criteria for clinical trials in chronic graft-versus-host disease: III. Biomarker Working Group Report.
Biology-based markers that can be used to confirm the diagnosis of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) or monitor progression of the disease could help in the evaluation of new therapies. Biomarkers have been defined as any characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of a normal biologic or pathogenic process, a pharmacologic response to a therapeutic intervention, or a surrogate end point intended to substitute for a clinical end point. The following applications of biomarkers could be useful in chronic GVHD clinical trials or management: (1) predicting response to therapy; (2) measuring disease activity and distinguishing irreversible damage from continued disease activity; (3) predicting the risk of developing chronic GVHD; (4) diagnosing chronic GVHD: (5) predicting the prognosis of chronic GVHD; (6) evaluating the balance between GVHD and graft-versus-leukemia effects (graft-versus-leukemia or GVT); and (7) serving as a surrogate end point for therapeutic response. Such biomarkers can be identified by either hypothesis-driven testing or by high-throughput discovery-based methods. To date, no validated biomarkers have been established for chronic GVHD, although several candidate biomarkers have been identified from limited hypothesis-driven studies. Both approaches have merit and should be pursued. The consistent treatment and standardized documentation needed to support biomarker studies are most likely to be satisfied in prospective clinical trials.
Schultz
Kirk R
KR
British Columbia Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. kschultz@interchange.ubc.ca
Miklos
David B
DB
Fowler
Daniel
D
Cooke
Ken
K
Shizuru
Judith
J
Zorn
Emmanuel
E
Holler
Ernst
E
Ferrara
James
J
Shulman
Howard
H
Lee
Stephanie J
SJ
Martin
Paul
P
Filipovich
Alexandra H
AH
Flowers
Mary E D
ME
Weisdorf
Daniel
D
Couriel
Daniel
D
Lachenbruch
Peter A
PA
Mittleman
Barbara
B
Vogelsang
Georgia B
GB
Pavletic
Steven Z
SZ
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D020544:Graft vs Leukemia Effect; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis
D015415:Biomarkers