Post-transplantation Lymphoproliferative Disease

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders are a varied group of disease processes that follow both solid organ and bone marrow transplantation. The disorders are typically associated with the Epstein-Barr virus and, as a consequence, have contributed greatly to our understanding of the role of human viruses in the pathogenesis of malignant disease. They have also expanded our understanding of the role of immunosurveillance in the prevention and control of malignancies which has, in turn, led to exciting developments in the use of transferred or adoptive immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer. This technology holds great potential for the treatment of these and other diseases associated with immunodeficiency states. When recognized early in their natural history, the post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders appear to be curable; later detection frequently leads to a fatal outcome. Prompt diagnosis of these disorders by the clinician caring for the transplant patient is therefore critical.