Rituximab reduces the symptoms of graft-versus-host disease among patients with stem cell transplants for cancer.

Bone marrow and other stem cell transplants can be lifesaving for people with leukemia and other blood diseases. But they also carry the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in which immune cells from the transplant attack the body's own tissue. GVHD may produce only mild symptoms like a rash or diarrhea, or may be life-threatening. Chronic GVHD kills up to a third of those who received stem cell transplants for leukemia.

Recently, scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have discovered that B cells in the transplant can play a role in GVHD - previously it was thought that only T cells are involved. In a new trial, rituximab, a therapy which targets B cells, has been shown successful in a group of 21 patients with GVHD.  The condition was reduced in severity in three quarters of the group and cleared up completely in two participants.

Source
Blood online 23rd March 2006