Overview

With the advent of new and revolutionary therapies, outcomes for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia have improved exponentially. Yet these therapies have a unique hepatotoxicity profile, including a higher risk of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) in recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplant. For this reason, effective patient management must include evaluation and management of the important adverse events associated with this therapy, with a focus on diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, and management of VOD. 

And while acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a rare disease and treatment is offered predominantly in academic and larger leukemia treatment centers, for many patients accessing continuous care at these large treatment centers can be difficult and community hospitals play an important role in supporting these patients closer to home.