Managing the Complexities of Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Current Challenges and Unmet Needs

Guest: Miguel-Angel Perales, MD

Guest: Anna Sureda, MD, PhD

Unfortunately, the treatment paradigm for acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) has not changed for a couple of decades as steroids remain the first-line treatment.¹ However, steroids are not a targeted therapy, and they have many side effects that are not well tolerated by patients, including life-threatening infections.^1-3 Given these risks, it is important to know how to manage infections related to immunosuppression and optimize the care of patients with aGVHD. Joining Dr Charles Turck to discuss the current landscape of aGVHD management are Dr Miguel-Angel Perales and Dr Anna Sureda. Dr Miguel-Angel Perales is the Chief of the Adult Bone Marrow Transplantation Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and Dr Sureda is the Head of Clinical Hematology at the University of Barcelona in Spain.

References:

1. Bell EJ, Yu J, Bhatt V, et al. Healthcare resource utilization and costs of steroid-associated complications in patients with graft-versus-host disease. Transplant Cell Ther. 2022;28(10):707.e1-707.e7. doi:10.1016/j.jtct.2022.04.014
2. Sullivan PW, Ghushchyan VH, Globe G, Sucher B. Health-related quality of life associated with systemic steroids. Qual Life Res. 2017;26(4):1037-1058.
3. García-Cadenas I, Rivera I, Martino R, et al. Patterns of infection and infection-related mortality in patients with steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease. Bone Marrow …