Active clinical trials for "Anemia, Aplastic"

Decrease in blood cell counts due to deficient bone marrow function, called bone marrow failure, as well as some lung diseases, called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, can be caused by genetic defects in telomere biology genes, eventually causing telomere erosion. These disorders are collectively termed "telomeropathies". There is evidence that male hormones may improve blood cell counts in marrow failure, and these hormones are able to stimulate telomerase function in hematopoietic cells in vitro. We propose this study to the use of male hormone in patients with aplastic anemia and pulmonary fibrosis associated with defects in telomeres.

The study is designed to collect safety and efficacy of Desferasirox in Chinese patients with Iron Overload and Aplastic Anemia.

This phase II trial studies how well giving fludarabine phosphate, melphalan, and low-dose total-body irradiation (TBI) followed by donor peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT) works in treating patients with hematologic malignancies. Giving chemotherapy drugs such as fludarabine phosphate and melphalan, and low-dose TBI before a donor PBSCT helps stop the growth of cancer and abnormal cells and helps stop the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. When the healthy stem cells from the donor are infused into the patient they may help the patient's bone marrow make stem cells, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Sometimes the transplanted cell from a donor can make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and methotrexate after transplant may stop this from happening

Background: Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) can lead to problems with bone marrow health and result in low blood cell counts, which require frequent transfusions. Standard treatment for SAA involves injections of antithymocyte globulin (ATG) plus cyclosporine (CsA). This regimen has been shown to improve the blood counts in about two-thirds of patients. However, the ATG/CsA regimen has the following limitations: (a) the disease can come back (relapse) in about one-third of patients who improve initially; and (b) in about 10% to 15% of cases, certain types of bone marrow cancer (such as myelodysplasia and leukemia) can develop (called evolution). Experience with other drugs in SAA such as cyclophosphamide suggests that similar response rates to ATG/CsA can be achieved with a lower risk of relapse and clonal evolution. However, cyclophosphamide was found to have significant side effects in SAA when investigated over 10 years ago due to increase risk of fungal infections. Better antibiotic drugs against fungus have been developed and are widely used to treat patients who have low white blood cell counts and are at risk of developing infections. In SAA patients in particular, these newer antibiotics have had a large impact in preventing and treating fungus infections. Researchers are revisiting the use of cyclophosphamide in SAA treatment, and plan to give a lower dose of CsA in combination with the immune-suppressing drug cyclophosphamide, as well as antibiotics to protect against infections, as a possible treatment for the disease. Objectives: - To determine the safety and effectiveness of the combination of cyclophosphamide and cyclosporine in treating severe aplastic anemia that has not been treated with immunosuppressive therapy.

Hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC- primitive cells in the blood, bone marrow and umbilical cord that can restore the bone marrow) transplant can be a curative therapy for the treatment of hematologic malignancies (a disease of the bone marrow and lymph nodes). The source of cells used for the transplant comes from related (sibling) and in cases where there is no sibling match, from unrelated donors through the National Marrow Donor Program. The availability of a suitable donor can be a significant obstacle for patients who need a transplant but do not have a matched donor. Cord blood that has been harvested from an umbilical cord shortly after birth has a rich supply of cells needed for transplant. These stored cord bloods are now being used to transplant adults without a matched donor Advantages to using cord blood includes a readily available source of cells with no risk to the donor during the collection process, immediate source of cells in urgent situations (no lengthy donor work-up)and a reduction in infectious disease transmission to the recipient. One of the main disadvantages is the cord blood has a small number of cells needed for transplant. In an adult, usually two cords are needed and large recipients do not qualify because they need too many cells. This study will use two different preparative regimens (chemotherapy and radiation) followed by one or two umbilical cord units (UBC). The preparative regimen used will be chosen by the physician and is based on patient's age, disease and medical condition at the time of transplant. Multiple objectives for this study include disease-free and overall survival, treatment related mortality, rate of cells taking hold, and the incidence and severity of the transplant complication called graft versus host disease (GVHD).

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects (good and bad) of the medication basiliximab in combination with cyclosporine (investigational therapy) for the prevention of a complication of bone marrow transplantation known as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). GVHD is a complication in which the cells of the transplanted bone marrow react against organs and tissues.

This clinical trial is studying how well giving fludarabine phosphate and melphalan together with total-body irradiation followed by donor stem cell transplant works in treating patients with hematologic cancer or bone marrow failure disorders. Giving low doses of chemotherapy and total-body irradiation before a donor peripheral blood stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of cancer cells or abnormal cells. It may also stop the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. The donated stem cells may replace the patient's immune cells and help destroy any remaining cancer or abnormal cells (graft-versus-tumor effect)

RATIONALE: Giving low doses of chemotherapy before a donor peripheral blood stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of cancer cells. It also stops the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. The donated stem cells may replace the patient's immune system and help destroy any remaining cancer cells (graft-versus-tumor effect). Giving an infusion of the donor's T cells (donor lymphocyte infusion) after the transplant may help increase this effect. Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can also make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving immunosuppressive therapy before or after the transplant may stop this from happening. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well chemotherapy followed by donor peripheral stem cell transplant works in treating patients with hematologic cancer or aplastic anemia.

Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is a life-threatening bone marrow failure disorder characterized by pancytopenia and a hypocellular bone marrow. Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation offers the opportunity for cure in 70% of patients, but most patients are not suitable candidates for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) due to advanced age or lack of a histocompatible donor. For these patients, comparable long term survival is attainable with immunosuppressive treatment with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporine (CsA). However, of those patients treated with horse ATG(h-ATG)/CsA, one quarter to one third will not respond, and about 50% of responders relapse. Auto-reactive T cells may be resistant to the effect of ATG/CsA (non-responders), while in others residual auto-reactive T cells expand post-treatment, leading to hematopoietic stem cell destruction and recurrent pancytopenia (relapse). As long term survival is correlated to response rates and robustness of hematopoietic recovery, novel immunosuppressive regimens that can achieve hematologic response and decrease relapse rates are needed. This trial will compare the effectiveness of three immunosuppressive regimens as first line therapies in patients with SAA with early hematologic response as the primary endpoint, as well as assess the role of extended CsA treatment after h-ATG in reducing numbers of late events of relapse and clonal evolution. Randomization is employed to obtain an equal distribution of subject to each arm; comparisons of early hematologic responses will be made among the rates observed among the three concurrent arms (rabbit-ATG [r-ATG] versus standard h-ATG; alemtuzumab vs standard h-ATG). For long course CSA, comparison of primary end points will be to well established historic relapse rate of 38% at 2-3 years and a cumulative rate of clonal evolution of 15%.

Severe Aplastic Anemia (SAA) is a rare and very serious blood disorder in which the bone marrow stops producing the cells which make up blood; red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Researchers believe this is caused by an autoimmune reaction, a condition in which the natural defense system of the body begins attacking itself. In SAA the immune system begins attacking the bone marrow. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen to all of the organ systems in the body, and low numbers (anemia) can cause difficulty breathing and fatigue. Platelets are responsible for normal blood clotting and low numbers can result in easy bruising and bleeding which can be deadly. White blood cells are responsible for fighting infections, and low numbers of these can lead to frequent infections, the most common cause of death in patients with aplastic anemia. SAA can be treated by bone marrow transplant (BMT) or by drugs designed to slow down the immune system (immunosuppressants). BMT can be successful, but it requires a donor with matched bone marrow, making this therapy available only to a few patients. BMT with unmatched bone marrow can fail and cause dangerous side effects. Presently, the two drugs used to treat SAA by slowing down the immune system (immunosuppression) are antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporin A (CSA). When used in combination these two drugs can improve most patients condition. However, one third of the patients who respond to this therapy experience a relapse of SAA. In addition, some patients treated with ATG/CSA can later develop other disorders of the blood. Recently, researchers have found that another immunosuppressive drug called cyclophosphamide, has been successful at treating patients with SAA. In addition, patients treated with cyclophosphamide do not experience relapses or develop other disorders of the blood. In this study researchers would like to compare the combinations of antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporin A (CSA) to cyclophosphamide and cyclosporin A (CSA) for the treatment of SAA.