New strategies in the treatment of graft-versus-host disease

GVHD continues to be a major complication after allogeneic hematopoietic st em cell transplantation even when the recipient is given immunosuppression for the prophylaxis of this severe disease. There have been many advances i n the prevention and treatment of GVHD, using compounds such as cyclosporin e, FK506, mycophenolate mofetil or monoclonal IL-2 receptor antagonist. New strategies seem to include sequential therapy involving the blocking of bo th endogenous cytokines and alloreactive donor cells. However, further clin ical and laboratory studies are needed in order to improve the therapy of e stablished GVHD.