title: Alemtuzumab-induced resolution of refractory cutaneous chronic graft-versus-host disease.
abstract: A patient with extensive cutaneous chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) affecting 100% of the body surface, with painful ulcerations that involved 20% of it, was treated unsuccessfully during 9 months with steroids, cyclosporine-A (CSa), sirolimus, tacrolimus, mychophenolate mofetil (MMF), infliximab, and rituximab. Twenty-one months after the allograft the patient was started on alemtuzumab, 10 mg/day subcutaneously, for 6 consecutive days every 4 weeks. Seven months after starting the treatment, 100% of the ulcers had disappeared, as had the pain. To our knowledge, there are no reports of the use of alemtuzumab in the treatment of extensive, ulcerated, refractory cutaneous cGVHD. The data presented here suggest that this agent may be useful in some patients with refractory forms of cGVHD.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Hematología y Medicina Interna de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico. gruiz1@clinicaruiz.com
authors.forename: Guillermo J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Argüelles
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gil-Beristain
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magaña
authors.forename: Guillermo J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Delgado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000628:therapy; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000074323:Alemtuzumab