The role of nutrition and effects on the cytokine milieu in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Nutritional deficiency is very common after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) despite careful assessment and nutritional supplementation (total parenteral or oral nutrition). The importance of nutrition in the immune system has been well defined during the past several years, as it has modulatory effects on the immune system. One of the most frequent questions in nutrition is whether nutritionally at-risk hosts have a defect in their immune system and whether such defects can be corrected by nutritional supplementation. Addressing nutritional supplementation starting from early post-transplantation might decrease the risk of infectious complication and GVHD after HSCT via the immunomodulatory role of a variety of nutrients and supplements. Given the well-established link between nutrition and immunomodulation, we hypothesize that timely nutritional supplementation can potentially play a direct or indirect role in decreasing non-relapse morbidity and mortality after HSCT. In this article, we discuss the possible link between nutritional deficiency and its effects on the cytokine milieu after HSCT.