Treatment Selection and Sequencing for Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease

Nelson Chao, MD, MBA, presents the clinical scenario of a 53-year-old man with chronic graft-versus-host disease and highlights the complexities of distinguishing between symptoms of acute and chronic GVHD.

Experts discuss the challenges of grading chronic graft-versus-host disease using NIH criteria, noting the importance of a common language, and considering patient symptoms, performance status, and organ involvement in assessing severity.

Key opinion leaders highlight the variable symptoms of chronic graft-versus-host disease and the importance of educating patients and community physicians to recognize and address early signs.

The panel reviews treatment approaches for graft-versus-host disease when steroids are not an option and explains how the heterogeneity of GVHD makes finding the right treatment challenging.

Erin Kopp, NP, emphasizes the importance of identifying patient response to steroids, establishing steroid dependence, and using a systematic tapering regimen for effective management of chronic graft-vs-host disease.

Experts discuss the second-line treatment options for chronic graft-vs-host disease when steroids fail, including ruxolitinib.

Nelson Chao, MD, MBA, presents the clinical scenario of a 52-year-old woman with chronic graft-versus-host disease for discussion.

Catherine Lee, MD, MS, details her approaches to tapering steroids in a refractory patient with chronic graft-versus-host disease and the efficacy of different treatments based on organ involvement.

The panel shares new therapies for the treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease they look forward to seeing in the future.

Nelson J. Chao, MD, MBA, and his colleagues discussed the use of ruxolitinib as treatment for patients with graft-vs-host disease.