ABSTRACT
Allogeneic BMT cures leukemia by means of myeloablation from the preparative regimen and transfer with the bone marrow graft of immunocompetent donor cells that exert an antileukemic effect called graft-versus-leukemia (GVL). For many years the evidence for this GVL effect was alluded to from experimental animal models and retrospective statistical analysis of leukemia relapse between patients with allogeneic vs syngeneic BMT, presence vs absence of acute or chronic GVHD and unmodified vs T-depleted BMT. More recently direct evidence for this antileu kemic effect was demonstrated with the infusion of unmanipulated donor periph eral blood leukocytes into patients who have relapsed after allogeneic BMT (Table 7.4.1 in chapter 7.4: Relapse After BMT).
