Challenges in GVHD and GVL after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for myeloid malignancies.

Abstract

Although allogeneic HCT is a leading treatment approach for myeloid malignancies, challenges in its immune biology and in treatment approaches remain. In the past decade major advances in the knowledge of mechanisms of graft-versus host disease (GvHD) has allowed development of new treatments both for GvHD prophylaxis and treatment. However, although successes did occur, failure did as well. Reasons for failure can be linked either to incomplete understanding of the pathophysiology of GVHD, or, in some cases, to errors in the design of clinical trials. Better GVHD prophylaxes and disease control have likely led to decreased non relapse mortality (NRM). However, while NRM rates have decreased, rates of relapse of the original malignancy have not significantly improved. Our current understanding of the biology of the graft-versus leukemia effect (GvL) still lag beyond that of GvHD, and treatment approaches to manipulate the GvL effect remain limited. The reasons for such a lag are numerous, but improved knowledge of the biology of hematological malignancies open the gate to new developments, providing that we can better understand the interplay between the immune system with leukemic clones. From a therapeutical perspective, much attention has been paid to the results from randomized clinical trials and from a biological perspective on recent discoveries, especially in the human setting. The objective of this perspective is to analyze what are the current challenges in the biology and treatment of GvHD and GvL and to provide a personal view on how some biological and therapeutic issues could be approached.