GVHD
Published on June 19, 2026
Podcast: GVHD in Pediatrics: Acute and Chronic Risk
by ASTCT Talks
In this episode of ASTCT Talks, host Dr. Corey Cutler, MD, from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is joined by Dr. Pooja Khandelwal, MD (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital), Dr. Ben Watkins, MD (Tulane University), and Dr. Kenneth Cooke, MD (Johns Hopkins University) for an in-depth discussion on evolving strategies to prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in pediatric transplant.
The conversation explores how leading centers are approaching GVHD prophylaxis across a range of clinical scenarios, with a focus on improving both acute and chronic GVHD outcomes. Experts compare platform-based approaches — including post-transplant cyclophosphamide, calcineurin inhibitor–based regimens, abatacept, and graft manipulation — and discuss how these strategies influence long-term transplant success.
Key topics include:
- Current approaches to reducing acute and chronic GVHD in pediatric patients.
- Tradeoffs between prevention platforms, including immune reconstitution and infection risk.
- Emerging data on novel strategies, such as vitamin A and extended co-stimulation blockade.
- The role of GVHD-free survival as a key endpoint in transplant outcomes.
- Ongoing challenges and unmet needs in preventing chronic GVHD.
While advances in prophylaxis are helping to reduce GVHD incidence, chronic GVHD remains a significant clinical challenge, underscoring the importance of continued innovation across the prevention-treatment continuum.
Listen to the episode below or on your favorite app. Subscribe to ASTCT Talks and share this episode with your colleagues to keep the conversation going. This episode was supported by an educational grant from Incyte.
![]()