Question 1

What is Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)?

Accepted Answer

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a serious complication that occurs after bone marrow or stem cell transplantation when donor immune cells attack the recipient's healthy tissues. It is caused by donor T-lymphocytes recognizing the recipient's body as foreign and mounting an immune response against organs like the skin, liver, and gastrointestinal tract. The Immune Cell Function test is the most important test for monitoring GVHD because it evaluates immune cell activity and helps healthcare providers assess disease severity and treatment response.

Question 2

What causes graft-versus-host disease?

Accepted Answer

Graft-versus-host disease is caused by donor T-lymphocytes and other immune cells from transplanted bone marrow or stem cells attacking the recipient's body tissues. After transplantation, these donor immune cells recognize the recipient's organs and tissues as foreign, triggering an immune response that damages healthy cells. The severity depends on factors like the degree of tissue matching between donor and recipient, the type of transplant conditioning regimen used, and the effectiveness of immunosuppressive medications given to prevent this complication.

Question 3

What is the best test for graft-versus-host disease?

Accepted Answer

The Immune Cell Function test is the most important blood test for monitoring GVHD because it evaluates how transplanted immune cells are functioning and whether they are causing abnormal immune activity against the recipient's tissues. This comprehensive test measures immune cell populations, their activation status, and their functional capacity, providing critical information about disease severity and treatment effectiveness. While GVHD is primarily diagnosed through clinical symptoms and tissue biopsies, regular blood testing of immune cell function helps healthcare providers adjust immunosuppressive medications, predict flare-ups, and detect complications early before they become severe.

Question 4

When should I get tested for GVHD?

Accepted Answer

You should get tested if you have recently undergone a bone marrow or stem cell transplant and develop symptoms like skin rashes, persistent diarrhea, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or unexplained weight loss. Regular blood testing should begin immediately after transplantation and continue throughout the first year when GVHD risk is highest. You should also seek testing if you notice new symptoms developing months or years after transplant, as chronic GVHD can emerge later, or if your healthcare provider needs to adjust your immunosuppressive medications based on your immune function status.

Question 5

What are the symptoms of graft-versus-host disease?

Accepted Answer

GVHD symptoms vary depending on whether it is acute or chronic and which organs are affected. Acute GVHD typically appears within the first 100 days after transplant and causes skin rashes that may blister or peel, severe diarrhea with abdominal cramping, nausea and vomiting, and jaundice with elevated liver enzymes. Chronic GVHD develops later and can cause dry eyes and mouth, skin tightening and discoloration, joint stiffness, difficulty swallowing, chronic fatigue, and recurrent infections due to weakened immunity.

Question 6

Who is at risk for graft-versus-host disease?

Accepted Answer

Anyone who receives an allogeneic bone marrow or stem cell transplant from a donor is at risk for GVHD, with about 30-70% of transplant recipients developing some degree of the condition. Risk is higher when the donor and recipient have less compatible tissue types, when the donor is unrelated to the recipient, when older donors or recipients are involved, and when peripheral blood stem cells are used instead of bone marrow. The use of female donors for male recipients and the intensity of the conditioning regimen before transplant also increase GVHD risk.

Question 7

What happens if GVHD is left untreated?

Accepted Answer

Untreated GVHD can lead to severe and potentially life-threatening complications affecting multiple organ systems. The immune attack can cause extensive skin damage with scarring, liver failure with dangerously elevated bilirubin levels, severe malnutrition from chronic gastrointestinal damage, lung scarring that makes breathing difficult, and profound immunosuppression leading to serious infections. Chronic untreated GVHD can also cause debilitating joint contractures, vision loss from eye damage, and significantly reduced quality of life. Early detection through blood testing and prompt treatment with immunosuppressive medications is essential to prevent these complications and improve transplant outcomes.

Question 8

Can GVHD be diagnosed with a blood test?

Accepted Answer

GVHD cannot be definitively diagnosed with blood tests alone, as diagnosis requires clinical evaluation and often tissue biopsies to confirm immune cell infiltration in affected organs. However, blood tests play a crucial role in monitoring immune cell function, detecting complications, and guiding treatment decisions. The Immune Cell Function test helps assess the activity of transplanted immune cells and the severity of immune dysfunction, while other blood tests can identify organ damage through liver enzymes, kidney function markers, and complete blood counts that reveal cytopenias caused by GVHD.

Question 9

How is graft-versus-host disease treated?

Accepted Answer

GVHD is treated primarily with immunosuppressive medications that reduce the activity of donor immune cells attacking the recipient's tissues. First-line treatment typically involves high-dose corticosteroids like prednisone or methylprednisolone, which suppress the immune response. For patients who do not respond to steroids, second-line therapies include calcineurin inhibitors like tacrolimus or cyclosporine, monoclonal antibodies, JAK inhibitors, and extracorporeal photopheresis. Treatment must carefully balance suppressing the harmful immune attack while maintaining enough immune function to prevent infections and preserve the beneficial graft-versus-tumor effect that helps prevent cancer relapse.

Question 10

How can I prevent graft-versus-host disease?

Accepted Answer

GVHD prevention begins before transplantation with careful donor selection to find the best possible tissue match and continues with prophylactic immunosuppressive medications given immediately after transplant. Standard prevention strategies include using calcineurin inhibitors combined with methotrexate or mycophenolate mofetil to suppress donor immune cells during the critical early post-transplant period. Some transplant centers also use T-cell depletion techniques to remove the most aggressive immune cells from the donor graft, post-transplant cyclophosphamide to eliminate rapidly dividing donor cells, or newer approaches like abatacept to block immune activation pathways.

Question 11

What can I do at home to manage GVHD symptoms?

Accepted Answer

While medical treatment is essential for GVHD, several home strategies can help manage symptoms and improve comfort. Protect your skin by using gentle, fragrance-free moisturizers multiple times daily, avoiding direct sun exposure, and wearing soft, loose-fitting clothing. For dry mouth and eyes, use artificial tears and saliva substitutes frequently, and maintain excellent oral hygiene to prevent infections. Eat small, frequent meals with bland, easy-to-digest foods if you have gastrointestinal symptoms, stay well-hydrated, and avoid foods that irritate your digestive system. Gentle stretching exercises can help prevent joint stiffness, and working with your transplant team to monitor symptoms through regular blood tests helps catch complications early.

Question 12

How’s this work?

Accepted Answer

Getting your blood test with us is easy, private & backed by the power of science.Long story short:
            
                In the test options, use the filters or search box to narrow your choices and find the test you want.
                If you need a hand navigating through options, text our super friendly support team at 754-799-7833, and we'll provide tailored suggestions to help you find the ideal test.
                Once your order is placed, we’ll create your doctor’s lab order remotely, without any need for you to make a trip to a doctor in person or to talk to the doctor. Expect to receive your doctor’s lab order right in your inbox. It will also be in your patient portal if you need to find it later. We’ll also include instructions regarding fasting and other requirements for your test. Your patient portal will be auto-created hassle-free during checkout.
                If this is your first time ordering, you'll be prompted to create a password for instant login access to your patient portal. It's a quick way to conveniently access your orders and results whenever you want.
                When you’re ready, visit one of our 4,000 locations. Just bring your ID – no printing or faxing of your lab order is needed, as your order and details will already be in the lab system.
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Question 13

How do I know which test to get?

Accepted Answer

In the test options, find the test you want.
            If you’re not sure which test to get, we can lend a hand in finding the right option.
            Just text or call us at 754-799-7833, email us at support@privatemdlabs.com, and we'll gladly help you. We've got your back and reply quickly.

Question 14

When will my lab results be available?

Accepted Answer

Most test results will be available within 1–3 business days. Once they're ready, we'll send an email and text message to let you know.
            After your blood draw, just hang tight and don't worry – we'll keep you updated and in the loop!
            If you have any further questions, please text us at 754-799-7833 or email support@privatemdlabs.com, and we'll gladly help you.

Question 15

Is it possible to make changes to my lab order if I made a mistake with the name, date of birth, or any other details?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! We totally understand that errors can happen. No worries, we're here to help you.
            Just reach out to us via text at 754-799-7833 or shoot us an email at
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            Our awesome team will jump right in and make sure everything is sorted out and accurate for you.
            There are no changes necessary if your address is wrong on the requisition though. We don’t mail anything out.
            Our lab requires an address to be listed to generate an order.

Question 16

Do you accept health insurance?

Accepted Answer

Only HSA & FSA is accepted.
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            This policy applies to all insurance companies, including federal health insurance programs like Medicare.
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Question 17

Can I cancel my order?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
            We get it – sometimes your needs change.
            As long as your samples haven’t been collected yet, we’re happy to help you cancel your order.
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            You can read more about our cancellation policy here.

Question 18

How can I find a lab location near me?

Accepted Answer

During the ordering process, you’ll be able to select a specific lab near you, with no strings attached!
            You can switch it up later easily and visit any of our authorized locations as long as it’s the same lab company you selected your test for (Quest Diagnostics or Labcorp).
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            If you have any questions, please text us at 754-799-7833 or email support@privatemdlabs.com and we'll gladly help you.

GVHD Blood Test After Transplant

What is Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)?

What causes graft-versus-host disease?

What is the best test for graft-versus-host disease?

When should I get tested for GVHD?

References

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