Fludarabine and Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Treating Patients With Untreated B-cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Leukemia
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Leukemia focused on measuring stage I chronic lymphocytic leukemia, stage II chronic lymphocytic leukemia, stage III chronic lymphocytic leukemia, stage IV chronic lymphocytic leukemia, B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Eligibility Criteria
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia Stage I or II with evidence of active disease as defined by: Massive or progressive splenomegaly and/or lymphadenopathy Weight loss of greater than 10% within 6 months CALGB grade 2 or 3 fatigue Fevers of greater than 100.5 C or night sweats for over 2 weeks and no evidence of infection Progressive lymphocytosis Stage III or IV Patient registration on CALGB 9665 required PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: CALGB 0-3 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal Other: No medical condition requiring chronic use of oral corticosteroids Direct antiglobulin test or direct Coombs test negative Not pregnant Effective contraception required of all fertile patients PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic: No prior biologic therapy for disease No concurrent erythropoietin Chemotherapy: No concurrent chemotherapy No prior chemotherapy for disease Endocrine: No concurrent chronic oral corticosteroids No prior corticosteroids for autoimmune complications developing since diagnosis No concurrent hormone therapy for disease related conditions No concurrent dexamethasone or other corticosteroid-based antiemetics Radiotherapy: No concurrent palliative radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified Other: No prophylactic therapy for viral, bacterial, or fungal infections
Sites / Locations
- University of California San Diego Cancer Center
- UCSF Cancer Center and Cancer Research Institute
- CCOP - Christiana Care Health Services
- Walter Reed Army Medical Center
- CCOP - Mount Sinai Medical Center
- University of Illinois at Chicago Health Sciences Center
- University of Chicago Cancer Research Center
- University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
- Marlene & Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
- University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center
- Ellis Fischel Cancer Center - Columbia
- Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- University of Nebraska Medical Center
- CCOP - Southern Nevada Cancer Research Foundation
- Norris Cotton Cancer Center
- Roswell Park Cancer Institute
- CCOP - North Shore University Hospital
- North Shore University Hospital
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
- New York Presbyterian Hospital - Cornell Campus
- Mount Sinai Medical Center, NY
- CCOP - Syracuse Hematology-Oncology Associates of Central New York, P.C.
- State University of New York - Upstate Medical University
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC
- Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center
- CCOP - Southeast Cancer Control Consortium
- Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
- Rhode Island Hospital
- Medical University of South Carolina
- University of Tennessee, Memphis Cancer Center
- Vermont Cancer Center
- MBCCOP - Massey Cancer Center
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Experimental
Arm I
Arm II
Patients receive fludarabine and chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody IDEC-C2B8 (rituximab) induction. Rituximab is administered IV over 4 hours on day 1, on day 3, and over 1 hour on day 5 of week 1. Subsequent doses are given over 1 hour on day 1 every 4 weeks for a total of 6 courses. Fludarabine IV is administered over 10-30 minutes daily for 5 days during weeks 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, and 21 for a total of 6 courses. Following the sixth course of fludarabine, patients undergo clinical staging and are then observed for an additional 2 months, after which they undergo repeat clinical staging, including bone marrow aspiration. Patients achieving a complete or partial response or stable disease then proceed to consolidation therapy consisting of weekly intravenous infusions of rituximab once weekly for 4 weeks. Patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year, and then every 6 months thereafter.
Patients receive fludarabine induction. Patients receive fludarabine IV over 10-30 minutes daily for 5 days during weeks 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, and 21 for a total of 6 courses. Patients then proceed as in arm I. Patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year, and then every 6 months thereafter.