New test could discern serious condition early after bone marrow transplant
Protein level in blood reveals graft-versus-host disease, may indicate severity of this complication
By Nathan Seppa
A new blood test can discern whether a skin rash signals a high-risk complication or just a minor nuisance in people who have undergone a bone marrow transplant, researchers report in the Jan. 6 Science Translational Medicine. The test may also identify early on which patients face long odds and need aggressive treatment for the complication.
As if marrow transplant recipients don’t have enough problems, some patients also develop graft-versus-host disease. In this condition the newly transplanted, or grafted, bone marrow cells attack tissues in the body.
In most cases of GVHD, the patient breaks out in a rash, although the complication can also strike the liver and intestines. Unfortunately, it’s not always apparent whether a rash signifies GVHD or a milder reaction. A skin biopsy can tell them apart, but it’s time-consuming and requires tissue sampling. A blood test could optimize diagnosis and management of GVHD, but there is currently no reliable blood test that discerns GVHD from an innocuous rash.