Active clinical trials for "Graft vs Host Disease"

Determine how much voriconazole is absorbed when the product is given by mouth to children with extensive graft versus host disease after a stem cell transplantation and determine the correct dosing of voriconazole in this population. Hypothesis: Children with gastrointestinal graft versus host disease will have decreased absorption of oral voriconazole and require higher doses of voriconazole in order to prevent or treat fungal infections.

Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is one of the common complications after stem cell transplant. This is a complication, which happens when the new stem cells from the donor attack other cells in the body of the transplant recipient. Recently, an antibody (protein) called alemtuzumab or Campath has been found to be effective in the prevention of Graft vs. Host Disease. Previous studies have shown a low risk of GVHD with alemtuzumab, however the risk of disease recurrence was high. Previous studies have used a high dose of alemtuzumab. The purpose of this study is: To find if by lowering the dose of alemtuzumab, can serious GVHD be prevented without increasing the risk of relapse (your condition getting worse). To find whether low dose of alemtuzumab in combination with cyclosporine can prevent GVHD more effectively when compared to current standard of care and does not increase the risk of recurrence.

To determine if subjects with steroid refractory cGVHD can tolerate imatinib mesylate and whether their cGVHD responds to imatinib mesylate.

The proposed research study is to test the drug vorinostat, in a new use as an additional medication, with other standard treatments for the prevention of severe acute graft versus host disease (GVHD). If this treatment is safe and effective, when combined with a reduced intensity transplant, the research may achieve a more effective therapy for patients with high-risk, blood cell related cancers. All subjects will receive an identical, known treatment to test if the treatment is safe and effective (a phase II trial). For patients to take part they must have a high-risk, blood cell cancer, be suitable candidates to receive a reduced intensity transplant and have a matched, related donor. Adult subjects (age 18 years and older) will be considered as subjects provided, as detailed in the protocol, they meet additional criteria and are not excluded from participating. About fifty (50) subjects will be enrolled in this study at the University of Michigan. Patients who receive blood stem cell transplants (HSCT), also called bone marrow transplants, to treat their cancer are at risk for serious complications, which may sometimes be fatal. The more common, serious ones are relapse (return of their disease), body organ injury from the intensity of the chemotherapy given prior to their transplant, and a serious complication called graft versus host disease (GVHD). GVHD is a form of rejection, where the transplanted cells of the donor attack the recipient's body as foreign, and do damage to organs and tissues. To decrease the side effects of the chemotherapy given before a transplant, reduced intensity treatment plans(regimens)have recently been developed at a number of transplant centers. A decrease in the side effects of chemotherapy (called toxicities) has been achieved; however, this success with "less intensive" treatments has been partially offset by less successful results in controlling the patient's cancer. As mentioned above, GVHD is a form of transplant rejection. GVHD can affect the digestive system, skin, liver and other body systems. GVHD can increase the risk of infection. After a matched, related donor stem cell transplant, GVHD when severe, is a major cause of discomfort, organ damage, and even death. When a graft vs host reaction develops, but is kept under control, studies show there may be a beneficial graft versus tumor effect, helping to destroy tumor cells in the patient, and thus providing a more effective control of their cancer. The goal of this study is to try to maximize the potential benefits, of giving patients less intense chemotherapy to reduce the toxic effects, letting the graft vs host effect help in destroying tumor cells, but preventing acute severe GVHD by using the drug vorinostat, combined with standard medicines, to reduce the chance of serious GVHD-related complications.

This study is designed as a combined Phase II/III, randomized, open label, multicenter, prospective comparative study of sirolimus plus prednisone versus sirolimus/calcineurin-inhibitor plus prednisone for the treatment of chronic GVHD. Patients will be stratified by transplant center and will be randomized to an experimental arm of one of the two pre-specified experimental arms (sirolimus + prednisone or the comparator arm of sirolimus + calcineurin inhibitor + prednisone) in a 1:1 ratio.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: Determine the safety and tolerability of nilotinib in steroid dependent / refractory cGVHD. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: Determine the clinical efficacy of nilotinib in steroid dependent / refractory cGVHD.

RATIONALE: Giving chemotherapy before a donor bone marrow transplant or peripheral stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of cancer cells and helps stop the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. When certain stem cells from a 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 cells from a donor can make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil after the transplant may stop this from happening. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving busulfan together with cyclophosphamide and antithymocyte globulin followed by donor stem cell transplant works in treating patients with hematologic cancer.

Background: Bronchiolitis obliterans is a form of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) that sometimes develops after stem cell transplantation (SCT) or bone marrow transplantation (BMT). In bronchiolitis obliterans, immune cells that normally fight infections attack the lungs of the transplant recipient, causing destruction of lung tissue and fibrosis (scarring). When fibrosis develops, the lungs cannot work properly. Montelukast (Singulair) is a drug that has been used for many years to treat asthma. Its use as a treatment for bronchiolitis obliterans is experimental. Objectives: To see if montelukast improves or stabilizes lung function in patients who develop bronchiolitis obliterans after BMT or SCT. To assess the safety of montelukast in patients with bronchiolitis obliterans after BMT or SCT To see if montelukast affects the cells that damage the lungs. To see if montelukast improves other forms of chronic GVHD, quality of life, and overall survival in patients with bronchiolitis obliterans after BMT or SCT. Eligibility: Patients 6 years of age and older with bronchiolitis obliterans following stem cell transplantation. Design: Patients take one montelukast tablet daily for 6 months and undergo the following procedures during this period: Lung function tests. The patient breathes into a machine that measures the amount of air that goes into and out of the lungs. This test is done once a month for 3 months, then at 6 months, 12 months and 24 months. Medical history and physical examination at the study site about every 3 months for the first year of the study and then at 12 months and 24 months. Patients also have physical examinations monthly for the first 6 months at their primary doctors office. Tests may include blood and urine tests, chest computed tomography (CT) scans, echocardiogram (heart ultrasound), 2- and 6-minute walk tests, and quality-of-life questionnaires. Bronchoalveolar lavage in patients 18 years of age and older. The subject s mouth, nose and airways are numbed with lidocaine. Some patients may need sedation or anesthesia for the procedure. A tube (bronchoscope) is then passed through the nose into the airway, and a small amount of fluid is put into the lung. The fluid is then removed and tested for infections or other lung problems. Apheresis to collect white blood cells. Whole blood is collected through a tube inserted into a vein in the arm. The white cells are extracted in a cell separator machine, and the rest of the blood is returned to the body through a tube placed in a vein in the other arm. The cells are used to study GVHD and bronchiolitis obliterans. Patients who wish to continue montelukast therapy after 6 months may do so under the care of their primary doctor, if both agree to the continuation....

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a long-lasting complication that can occur after transplants. The transplanted cells seem to fight with the patient's own cells. Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is a fairly new procedure for cGVHD. The participant gets a port to hook up to a machine. The machine removes the white blood cells, mixes them with a light-sensitive drug, shines light on it, and puts all the blood back in. This study will find out if patients respond better if they get ECP with methoxsalen, in addition to the pills normally used to treat cGVHD.

RATIONALE: Giving chemotherapy, such as clofarabine, melphalan, and thiotepa, before a donor stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of cancer or abnormal cells. It also helps stop the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. When the healthy stem cells from a 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 cells from a donor can also make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil before the transplant may stop this from happening. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of clofarabine when given together with melphalan and thiotepa, followed by a donor stem cell transplant and to see how well it works in treating patients with high-risk and/or advanced hematologic cancer or other disease.