Active clinical trials for "Graft vs Host Disease"

RATIONALE: Giving low doses of chemotherapy, such as fludarabine, and radiation therapy before a donor bone marrow or 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). Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can also make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, and tacrolimus after transplant may stop this from happening. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying cyclophosphamide and/or mycophenolate mofetil with or without tacrolimus to see which is the best regimen in treating patients who are undergoing a donor bone marrow or stem cell transplant for hematologic cancer.

RATIONALE: Alemtuzumab, tacrolimus, and methylprednisolone may be an effective treatment for graft-versus-host disease caused by a donor stem cell transplant. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving alemtuzumab together with tacrolimus and methylprednisolone works in treating acute graft-versus-host disease in patients who have undergone donor stem cell transplant.

RATIONALE: Tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil may be an effective treatment for graft-versus-host disease caused by donor stem cell transplantation. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving tacrolimus together with mycophenolate mofetil works in preventing acute graft-versus-host disease in patients who are undergoing donor stem cell transplantation for advanced hematologic cancer.

This study involves the use of a drug called Thymoglobulin, which is approved in the USA to treat kidney transplant rejection and in Canada to treat and to prevent kidney transplant rejection. Thymoglobulin is not approved for the treatment or prophylaxis of graft versus host disease in bone marrow transplantation. This study is to evaluate two (2) doses of Thymoglobulin and its safety and effectiveness when used with a "myeloablative" conditioning regimen prior to receiving a stem cell transplant (also called bone marrow transplantation) from a matched, related donor. A myeloablative regimen is typically composed of chemotherapy and radiation and destroys the subject's existing bone marrow. Subjects meeting all inclusion and exclusion criteria and who have a relative with matching (genetically similar) stem cells who are also willing to donate them (i.e. matched-related-donor) are eligible to participate in this study. Following myeloablative therapy, the donor's cells are then transplanted (i.e. infused) into the subject's blood stream. One of the most common complications of this type of transplant is graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). This is a condition where the transplanted donor cells attack the transplant recipient's body. Treatments, such as cyclosporine, are used to minimize the risk of GvHD following stem cell transplantation. To enter this study, subjects must be having a matched-related donor stem cell transplant. If a subject qualifies for entry into this study, he/she will be assigned to receive Thymoglobulin at a dose of 4.5 mg/kg or 8.5 mg/kg. The treatment assignment is random and is not chosen by the subject or their physician. Subjects are admitted to the hospital for the transplant procedure and are treated with Thymoglobulin over 3-5 days just prior to receiving the donor stem cells. The subject will also receive standard GvHD prophylaxis with cyclosporine. Methotrexate, which is commonly used by transplant centers to minimize the risk of GvHD, will not be used in this study. Subjects will be monitored during treatment with Thymoglobulin and during the transplant hospitalization. Additional subject monitoring occurs at month 1, 100 days and 6 months following the transplant. Approximately 60 study subjects from approximately 14 transplant centers in the United States and Canada will be enrolled.

RATIONALE: Beclomethasone combined with prednisone may be an effective treatment for graft-versus-host disease caused by stem cell transplantation. It is not yet known if prednisone is more effective with or without beclomethasone in treating gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to determine the effectiveness of prednisone with or without beclomethasone in treating patients who have graft-versus-host disease afftecting the gastrointestinal system.

RATIONALE: Thalidomide may interfere with the body's ability to recognize transplanted bone marrow cells as foreign and may help treat patients with graft-versus-host disease. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to study the effectiveness of thalidomide in treating patients who have chronic graft-versus-host disease following bone marrow transplantation.

This randomized pilot clinical trial studies Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in reducing incidence of graft-versus-host disease in patients who have undergone donor stem cell transplant. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG may be effective at preventing for graft-versus-host disease caused by a donor stem cell transplant.

RATIONALE: Growth factors, such as palifermin, may prevent chronic graft-versus-host disease caused by donor stem cell transplant. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial studies palifermin in preventing chronic graft-versus-host disease in patients who have undergone donor stem cell transplant for hematologic cancer

RATIONALE: Giving low doses of chemotherapy, monoclonal antibodies, and radiation therapy before a donor peripheral blood stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of cancer 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 cells (graft-versus-tumor effect). Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can also make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving tacrolimus, sirolimus, and antithymocyte globulin before and after transplant may stop this from happening. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects of giving sirolimus together with tacrolimus and antithymocyte globulin and to see how well it works in preventing graft-versus-host disease in patients with hematologic cancer who are undergoing donor stem cell transplant.

RATIONALE: Beclomethasone dipropionate may be effective in preventing acute graft-versus-host disease in patients undergoing a stem cell transplant for hematologic cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well beclomethasone dipropionate works in preventing acute graft-versus-host disease in patients undergoing a donor stem cell transplant for hematologic cancer.