A clinical trial is underway for a new drug to help transplant patients with host versus graft disease.
Edward Lopez survived two bouts of leukemia. The second time included a transplant from his brother Bob.
These transplants are one of Cancer Care's success stories. But those same life-saving cells can turn on patients like Lopez by attacking their skin and organs.
"A month after I got home, I started feeling the roughness developing in my mouth, like rough sandpaper," Lopez said.
Lopez also had a numbness in his lips. Those are some of the effects of graft versus host disease.
This chronic disease strikes half of the 6,000 Americans who receive bone marrow or stem cell transplants every year. Many times, patients come down with rashes or blisters, liver or lung damage. One of every five cases of GVHD can be deadly.
Heavy doses of steroids are the first line of treatment.
A clinical trial is underway for a new drug to help transplant patients with host versus graft disease.
Lopez is undergoing photopheresis to treat his disease. A machine will draw six cycles of his blood. The last batch will be treated to help balance his immune system.
"The UVA light that will go on will mutate the cells that are causing him the problem," said Donna Cimbalo, a nurse at the Wilmot Cancer Center. "Cells sensitized by the medication injected into the bag."
Photopheresis has been very successful for Lopez but it doesn't work for all patients. That's why many are looking forward to this new drug.
The University of Rochester Medical Center's cancer center is testing a new experimental drug for GVHD. It's made from a different kind of stem cell.
"These new treatments with the mesenchymal, or Prochymal as its trade name, are encouraging, because they give us other means to combat this disease that don't suppress the patient's own immune system," said Dr.Jane Liesveld, of the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Dr. Liesveld said that could lead to fewer complications and lower the risk of deadly infections.
"Whatever it takes, I am not going to die,"said Lopez.
He said he feels fantastic these days. His graft versus host disease is 85 percent healed. Lopez and his wife sue are enjoying retirement and looking forward to the birth of their newest grand baby.