New Graft vs. Host Disease Findings Could Improve Treatment for Some Leukemia Patients

Hematologist Dr. Samantha Jaglowski discusses how a once-a-day pill can help some leukemia patients overcome side effects of treatment.

For some blood cancer patients, the experts can do a blood stem cell transplant to fight the disease. A challenge, however, can arise when the patient’s body recognizes the transplant as something that’s not supposed to be there.

But James researchers have found that a drug called ibrutinib can help some patients by targeting the cells that create antibodies, effectively reducing the amount of side effects they might experience.