GRAFT VERSUS HOST DISEASE

GRAFT VERSUS HOST DISEASE

Graft versus host disease is a potentially severe complication that occurs after transplant procedures of reduced-intensity allogeneic stem cell transplantation and allogeneic stem cell transplantation where the immune cells from the donor view the patient’s healthy cells as foreign and attack the recipient patient host’s tissues

In an allogeneic transplant stem cell transplantation, a patient receives bone marrow tissue or cells from a donor or donated umbilical cord blood.

It can also occur after transplantation of solid organs other than bone marrow transplant procedures.

Conventional treatment for many different cancers is stem cell transplantation as well as some other non-cancer conditions that affect the blood or immune system.

Graft-versus-host disease has symptoms that vary from mild to extremely severe, which can cause death.

Stem cell transplantation is a conventional treatment for many different cancers (malignancies), including diseases that affect the blood and lymph nodes, as well as some other (non-cancer) conditions that affect the blood or immune system. A stem cell transplant is sometimes performed after a relapse of leukemia or lymphoma that occurs after initial treatment.

Graft Versus Host Disease is performed after there is high compatibility of the donor’s bone marrow cells to the host’s cells. If there is high compatibility, there is less chance to develop.

TYPES

There are two types of Graft Versus Host Disease, and these are chronic and acute.

Acute. The “acute” medical term refers to a condition that appears early or suddenly and within the 100 days after the transplant, acute usually appears. On the other hand, “chronic” refers to a condition that develops over time. 

Chronic. The medical term “chronic” is for medical conditions that progress over time. 

SYMPTOMS

Some patients develop other types of Graft Versus Host Disease. The symptoms that the patient experiences with it, from mild to moderate, sometimes, extremely severe that can cause death.

Acute symptoms and signs that include the following:

  • Dermatitis
  • Hepatitis
  • Jaundice
  • Enteritis
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Cramping,
  • Abdominal Pain
  • Blood In The Stool

Chronic symptoms include:

  • Dry eyes or mouth
  • Vision changes
  • Mouth ulcers
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Hair loss
  • Spicy or acidic foods sensitivity
  • Mouth pain
  • Wheezing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Muscle or joint pain
  • Fatigue
  • Skin rash
  • Skin discoloration
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Loss of appetite
  • Weight loss
  • Jaundice
  • Abdominal pain

DIAGNOSIS

Clinical evaluation — Patients who have undergone allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation procedures must be considered for the diagnosis of Graft Versus Host Disease, as this condition occurs within and after the 100 days of transplantation.

TREATMENT

As there is no known standard treatment for Graft Versus Host Disease prevention, doctors prescribe a various combination of medications, which include:

  • Methotrexate 
  • Cyclosporine
  • Tacrolimus 
  • Mycophenolate mofetil 
  • Sirolimus 
  • Corticosteroids 
  • Antithymocyte globulin 
  • Alemtuzumab 
  • Cyclophosphamide 

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