When making a differential diagnosis in a patient who has undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), it is critical to have a solid understanding of the entire course of treatment. This includes transplant type (autologous or allogeneic) stem cell source (marrow, peripheral blood [PB], or cord blood), donor match (related or unrelated, matched or mismatched), interval post-HSCT (early or late), graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis, infectious prophylaxis, current immune suppressive medications, conditioning regimen (ablative or nonmyeloablative), and length of granulocytopenia. Transplant-related toxicities can include treatment-related organ damage, infection, GVHD, or any other combination. Time course is generally thought of as follows: early – first 30 days when pancytopenia and the direct effect of chemotherapy is the greatest; mid – day 15 to roughly 100; and late – after day 100. There is often an overlap in timing of complications.

In the remainder of the book you will find information on the following transplant-related complications:

1. GVHD – prevention, acute and chronic

2. Engraftment syndrome

3. Infectious disease

4. Graft rejection and Graft failure

5. Gastrointestinal complications

6. Pulmonary complications

7. Veno-occlusive disease

8. Special transfusion-related situations

9. Cardiovascular complications

10. Neurological complications

11. Cystitis

12. Donor lymphocyte infusion