What Is Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (PTLD)?
Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are a group of potentially life-threatening conditions that affect patients who have had an organ or bone marrow transplant.
PTLD occurs because the patient’s immune system is weakened from medications that help their body accept the newly transplanted organ or bone marrow. This weakened immune system is not very effective at removing certain viral infections such as the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It also is not always effective at watching for pre-cancer or cancer cells that may develop from long-term exposure to EBV. These abnormal cells often grow and can spread to other areas in the body.