Some types of blood cancer can be treated by transplanting stem cells from the patient's blood relatives or siblings. Unfortunately, transplanted stem cells (also called the 'graft') can sometimes induce an inflammatory reaction in the patient (or the 'host'). This reaction is called 'graft-versus-host disease' (GvHD), and once it occurs it is difficult to treat. GvHD can adversely affect the patient's quality of life and often causes death. Drug therapies have been developed to prevent GvHD. Even so, many patients still suffer this complication. Preventive therapy against GvHD must be optimised. Since corticosteroids are the first-line treatment used after GvHD occurs, it is a hypothesis that if used in prophylaxis regimens, corticosteroids can decrease the occurrence of GvHD and improve patient survival rates.
Five RCTs involving 604 people were included in this review. Analyses of these studies showed that the incidence of moderate forms of GvHD can be reduced by prophylactic corticosteroid regimens. However, there is no evidence that the incidence of life-threatening forms or patient mortality can be reduced. Effects on quality of life could not be estimated because this information was not systematically collected during these studies. Further studies are needed to determine if the timing of steroid administration influences the outcomes of GvHD.