Overview of Graft-versus-Host Disease

Graft-versus-host disease is an immune-mediated condition occurring after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, mainly affecting the skin, liver, and digestive system. GVHD can be divided into acute and chronic types, with complex clinical manifestations that significantly impact patient survival. Timely diagnosis and comprehensive treatment are particularly important for disease control.

Global Incidence

Europe and North America

In Europe and North America, the incidence of GVHD is relatively high, ranging from 30% to 50%, closely related to the number of transplant cases. With medical advances, patient survival rates have gradually improved, but GVHD remains one of the major complications of transplantation, requiring ongoing optimization of treatment strategies.

Southeast Asia

In Southeast Asia, the incidence of GVHD is generally between 20% and 40%. Due to disparities in healthcare resources, disease management levels vary. Some countries are promoting advanced immunotherapy and cell therapy to improve treatment outcomes and survival expectations for patients.

Main Harms:

1. Multi-organ damage

GVHD leads to multi-organ dysfunction such as skin itching, jaundice, and gastrointestinal symptoms, severely affecting patients’ daily life and treatment tolerance, posing great challenges to clinical management.

2. Immune dysfunction

Patients with GVHD often experience immune imbalance and are prone to infectious complications. Although immunosuppressants can relieve symptoms, they increase infection risks and long-term side effects, complicating recovery.

Emerging Treatment Methods

Immune Reconstruction Cell Therapy

Immune reconstruction cell therapy reshapes the patient’s immune system, regulates immune responses, reduces the incidence of GVHD, promotes tissue repair, and decreases drug dependence. It significantly improves quality of life and has become an important direction in GVHD treatment.

1. Advantages in immune regulation

This therapy precisely modulates immune cells, suppresses abnormal activation, reduces inflammatory damage, and alleviates disease conditions.

2. Promotes tissue repair

Immune cells help repair damaged tissues and restore functions, enhancing overall recovery.

3. Reduces drug side effects

Decreases reliance on traditional immunosuppressants, reducing infections and other adverse effects caused by long-term use.

In actual clinical practice, traditional treatments often face challenges such as immune dysfunction, increased infection risk, and slow recovery. To better support patients, improve tolerance, and enhance quality of life, phased immune reconstruction plans need to be scientifically designed for different treatment cycles.

● Short-term plan: Rapidly enhance immunity through immune cell reinfusion to strengthen treatment effectiveness.

● Mid-term plan: Reduce side effects of conventional therapies, promote recovery, and ensure completion of standardized regimens.

● Long-term plan: Improve immunity through immune cell reconstruction, gut immune reconstruction, elemental immune reconstruction, and immune nutrition reconstruction, enhancing quality of life and extending survival.

Conventional Treatment Methods:

1. Immunosuppressants

Glucocorticoids and calcineurin inhibitors are the mainstay, suppressing abnormal immune responses and forming the foundation of GVHD treatment.

2. Anti-inflammatory therapy

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and biologics are used to control inflammation and relieve symptoms.

3. Phototherapy

Ultraviolet phototherapy is effective for skin GVHD, reducing inflammation.

4. Supportive therapy

Nutritional support and infection prevention help reduce complications and promote recovery.

5. Stem cell transplantation

In severe cases, secondary stem cell transplantation can restore immune balance.

6. Cytokine inhibitors

Used to block specific inflammatory signals and reduce immune-mediated damage.

7. Biologic therapies

Monoclonal antibodies and other biologics can improve treatment outcomes.

8. Physical therapy

Assists in improving body function and relieving symptoms.

Conclusion:

Graft-versus-host disease severely threatens patient health, leading to multi-organ damage and immune dysfunction, and requires timely and effective treatment. Experts at United Life International Medical Center emphasize that combining immune reconstruction cell therapy with traditional methods can significantly improve efficacy, reduce recurrence, enhance quality of life, and advance GVHD treatment into a new stage.