CHEMOTHERAPY DOES NOT NULLIFY THE ABILITY OF DONOR LYMPHOCYTE INFUSIONS TO MEDIATE GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST REACTIONS

Two patients with multiple myeloma in relapse after allogeneic BMT rec eived donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) but later required chemotherapy for treatment of myeloma-related complications. In both patients, rec overy from chemotherapy-induced aplasia was accompanied by manifestati ons of graft-versus-host reactions. The first patient developed grade II acute GVHD and a complete remission which has lasted >22 months. Th e second patient developed grade III acute GVHD but died with co-exist ing GVHD and extensive extramedullary myeloma, These results demonstra te that chemotherapy does not nullify the ability of donor lymphocytes to mediate graft-versus-host reactions.