Graft-versus-leukemia effect

Graft-versus-leukemia effect - an advantageous side-effect of a graft-vs-host reaction in which a leukemia patient is first irradiated to kill residual leukemic cells and is then given a bone marrow graft to replenish the immune system. If cytotoxic t cells are not depleted from the bone marrow graft, these alloreactive t cells can attack the host's cells (graft-vs-host reaction) but can also attack the host's residual leukemic cells, thereby assisting in preventing recurrence of disease.

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