Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Correspondence
  • Published:

A case of retroperitoneal fibrosis in a patient following HSCT

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 35, pages 1125–1126 (2005)Cite this article

The role of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in the treatment of serious malignant and nonmalignant hematologic disorders has rapidly expanded as a result of advances in histocompatibility typing, conditioning regimens, and supportive care. In fact, it is currently estimated that approximately 18 000 patients worldwide will receive some form of HSCT annually.1 Even though a tremendous amount of knowledge has been amassed in transplantation biology over the years, the development of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) continues to plague patients receiving HSCT and represents the major cause of late nonrelapse mortality.

Chronic GVHD has traditionally been considered to occur after day 100,2 although recently it has been appreciated that this arbitrary time distinction is not useful given the large number of nonmyeloabative transplants and donor lymphocyte infusions, which are complicated by chronic GVHD. The clinical manifestations generally include cutaneous, hepatic, and mucosal involvement.3 Skin is the most commonly affected tissue as 81% of cases present with cutaneous findings. These generally include lichenoid eruptions, which may progress to cutaneous sclerodermatous disease. In the sclerodermatous form of the disease, fibrosis of the skin occurs, destroying normal skin appendages.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1

References

  1. Storb R . Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation--yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Exp Hematol 2003; 31: 1–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Flowers ME, Kansu E, Sullivan KM . Pathophysiology and treatment of graft-versus-host disease. Hematol/Oncol Clin N Am 1999; 13: 1091–1112.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sanders JE . Chronic graft-versus-host disease and late effects after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Int J Hematol 2002; 76: 15–28.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Demko TM, Diamond JR, Groff J . Obstructive nephropathy as a result of retroperitoneal fibrosis: a review of its pathogenesis and associations. J Am Soc Nephrol 1997; 8: 684–688.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Koep L, Zuidemia GD . The clinical significance of retroperitoneal fibrosis. Surgery 1977; 81: 250–257.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Feinstein RS, Gatewood OM, Goldman SM et al. Computerized tomography in the diagnosis of retroperitoneal fibrosis. J Urology 1981; 126: 255–259.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hosaka N, Ito M, Taki Y et al. Amyloid A gastrointestinal amyloidosis associated with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis. Report of a rare autopsy case and review of the literature. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2003; 127: 75–78.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Wolff D, Reichenberger F, Steiner B et al. Progressive interstitial fibrosis of the lung in sclerodermoid chronic graft-versus-host disease. Bone Marow Transplant 2002; 29: 357–360.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Chen W, Chatta GS, Rubin WD et al. T cells specific for a polymorphic segment of CD45 induce graft-versus-host disease with predominant pulmonary vasculitis. J Immunol 1998; 161: 909–918.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    A Nanda & G B Vogelsang

  2. Division of Hematology/Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    J D Rizzo

Authors
  1. A Nanda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J D Rizzo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G B Vogelsang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nanda, A., Rizzo, J. & Vogelsang, G. A case of retroperitoneal fibrosis in a patient following HSCT. Bone Marrow Transplant 35, 1125–1126 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1704961

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1704961

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links