GRAFT-VERSUS-LEUKEMIA - EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

Graft-versus-leukaemia (GVL) effects represent one of the major components contributing to leukaemia eradication following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in leukaemias. Correlation between GVL effects and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) has been clearly demonstrated for acute and chronic leukaemias. An issue which has not yet been finally resolved is whether or not GVL independent of GVHD can be documented and whether or not clinical approaches to amplify GVL without GVHD can be developed. Although several experimental data as well as recent analysis from the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry suggest that of the GVL effects may be some independent from GVHD, identification of leukaemia-specific effector cells and leukaemia-specific target molecules that may serve as antigens for donor-type T lymphocytes have not yet been clearly documented. The workshop was designed to summarize experimental studies in vitro and in vivo that suggest mechanisms that may result in effector cells recognising target structures unique to leukaemia cells.