title: Chronic graft-versus-host disease.
abstract: Chronic graft-versus-host disease is the most common late, non-relapse complication of transplantation yet it is also one of the least studied. It is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality of long-term survivors of allogeneic bone marrow transplants. Like acute graft-versus-host disease, it does have a strong antitumor effect. The recent National Institutes of Health sponsored Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease Consensus Conference has proposed new criteria for diagnosis and staging, pathology, biomarkers, response and supportive care. New understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic graft-versus-host disease (i.e. the role of B cells) is already having an impact on therapy. Novel agents such as pentostatin, mycophenolate mofetil, rituximab, extracorporeal photochemotherapy, etc. are improving the outcome of steroid refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease.
authors.affiliation: The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bolaños-Meade
authors.forename: Georgia B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Vogelsang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D020350:Graft vs Tumor Effect; D006801:Humans; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects; D014481:United States