Thalidomide for the treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Background: Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is an accepted therapy for hematologic cancer, aplastic anemia, and inherited immunodeficiencies. Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is the principal complication in patients surviving more than 100 days. Thalidomide has been shown experimentally to be effective in treating GVHD.