Graft-versus-leukemia effect after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Abstract

We report the case of a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with persistent lymphocytosis and lymphadenopathy after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). After receiving a donor lymphocyte infusion on day 87 he achieved complete remission upon development of chronic graft-versus-host disease, suggesting that a graft-versus-leukemia effect is operative in this malignancy.