title: Oral chronic graft-versus-host disease in Australia: clinical features and challenges in management.
abstract: Data from the Australasian Bone Marrow Transplant Recipient Registry show a steady increase in the number of allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT) performed annually in Australia and New Zealand. In 2012, 629 allogeneic HSCT were performed. Allogeneic HSCT is associated with numerous potential complications, including chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). The oral cavity is one of the most frequent sites affected by cGvHD, often leading to significant disability and reduced quality of life. Management strategies are often complex, of variable efficacy and influenced by the availability of various therapeutic agents, access to compounding pharmacies and associated costs. This paper summarises the current status of allogeneic HSCT in Australia and New Zealand with a focus on oral cGvHD and the associated challenges in its management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Haematology and BMT Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hull
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Northern Blood Research Centre, Kolling Institute, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kerridge
authors.affiliation: Malignant Haematology and Stem Cell Transplantation Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avery
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCullough
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Haematology and BMT Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Haematology and BMT Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szer
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
keywords: graft-versus-host disease; oral mucosa; saliva