The goal of allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (alloHSCT) in the treatment of hematological malignancies is to harness the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect, while minimizing the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). AlloHSCT research has focused on the GVL target antigens and effector mechanisms, and on potential approaches to exploit the GVL effect independently of GVHD. In this review, the authors focus on the currently available approaches to exploit these GVL mechanisms and discuss some of the newer approaches that have been explored in clinical practice.
- Ben Sprangers
- Bart Van Wijmeersch
- An D Billiau