Acute and chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD) are serious complications of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The complex pathophysiology of these disease processes is associated with immune system activation, the release of cytokines and chemokines, and alterations in cell populations. The blood levels of specific protein and cellular levels in patients with GVHD have correlated with the development, diagnosis, and prognosis of GVHD. Here we review the most promising biomarkers for acute and chronic GVHD with clinical relevance. The utility of GVHD biomarkers in clinical care of allogeneic HCT recipients needs to be proven through clinical trials, and potential approaches to trial design are discussed
