Active clinical trials for "Hematologic Neoplasms"

This pilot research study is to investigate the safety and effectiveness of stem cell transplantation to treat blood-related (hematopoietic) cancers, using stem cells collected from two different, umbilical cord blood donors. Subjects in this study are receiving a stem cell transplant because other treatments have failed or their disease is unlikely to respond to other treatment options. Blood-related cancers can be treated and sometimes cured with very high doses of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, given to kill the cancer cells; however, these treatments can prove unsuccessful and can harm normal cells in the bone marrow or a patient's disease may be unlikely to respond to these treatment options. Hematopoietic stem cells transplantation (HSCT) is a potential cure, but opportunities to perform HSCT are limited by donor availability. Only 20-30% of patients may have matched family donors. In some cases, a mismatched family donor may be suitable. For patients needing a transplant who do not have a suitably matched family donor, blood stem cells from matched unrelated donors can be used. The length of time required to identify a matched unrelated donor presents another obstacle for patients waiting to receive an HSCT. Blood stem cells are found in umbilical cord blood (UCB), which is blood left over in the placenta (afterbirth) after a baby is born. Usually this blood is discarded with the placenta, but over the past 15 years, we have learned how to collect and freeze cord blood cells to be used for transplants at a later time. A cord blood unit is the cord blood cells collected and stored from a single placenta. More than 6,500 umbilical cord blood stem cell transplants have been done worldwide, mostly in children with leukemia. One important factor affecting the success of a cord blood transplant is the cell dose (number of stem cells in the cord blood unit / recipient's weight). Patients who receive a high cell dose (> 2.5 x 107 cells/kilogram) have better marrow recovery and a higher rate of survival than those who receive a lower cell dose. In an attempt to make UCB transplantation possible for bigger children, adolescents and adults, researchers have tried giving two cord blood units on the same day for their transplant, one after the other. The data from more than 150 "double cord blood" transplants in adults suggest that the "double cord blood" transplants may allow bone marrow recovery and survival in patients who do not have a single cord blood unit with enough cells for successful transplantation. This is a pilot study to research the safety and effectiveness of using two UCB units in adult and pediatric UCB transplantation when combined with a conditioning regimen called Flu/Bu4/TLI (consisting of fludarabine, busulfan and total lymphoid irradiation).

The purpose of this research study is to determine if an experimental agent, LLME can decrease the incidence and severity of Graft-Versus-Host-Disease (GVHD) following blood (hematopoietic) stem cell transplantation

To evaluate engraftment and toxicity of a reduced intensity preparative regimen for patients who receive a matched related or unrelated donor allogeneic stem cell transplant (ASCT) for malignant hematological diseases

The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a nonmyeloablative conditioning consisting of fludarabine and total body irradiation in patients older than 60 years of age

Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cytarabine, work in different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. 3-AP may help cytarabine kill more cancer cells by making them more sensitive to the drug. This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of 3-AP when given with high-dose cytarabine in treating patients with advanced hematologic malignancies

The purpose of this phase II study is to assess the efficacy of AP23573 in patients with specified relapsed or refractory hematological malignancies.

RATIONALE: Peripheral stem cell transplantation may be able to replace immune cells that were destroyed by chemotherapy. Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor are rejected by the body's normal cells. Ultraviolet-B light therapy given before and after allogeneic stem cell transplantation may help prevent this from happening. PURPOSE: Clinical trial to study the effectiveness of combining ultraviolet-B light therapy with allogeneic stem cell transplantation in treating patients who have hematologic malignancies.

The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of cord blood transplantation for adult patients with hematologic malignancies including refractory acute leukemia. The transplant procedure was determined in detail according to the previously published report showing a high survival, so that the investigators could expect a similar result.

Cancers of the blood, sometimes referred to as hematologic malignancies, are disorders of bone marrow cells that lead to the failure of the normal function of bone marrow and the uncontrolled growth of cancerous cells in the bone marrow. These cancerous cells can spill over into the bloodstream and affect other organs causing widespread symptoms. The disease is life threatening because it blocks the normal function of the marrow, which is to produce red cells (preventing anemia), white cells (preventing infection), and platelets (preventing progression). Bone marrow transplants are a potential form of therapy for patients with hematologic malignancies. However, BMT is a complicated procedure and can be associated with dangerous side effects. In this study researchers are attempting to find ways to reduce the complications of BMT, so that it would be possible to use it more safely and can be offered more patients. In order to do this, researchers are developing new techniques to make BMT safer. It requires making small changes to the standard procedure, which may improve the outcome. The experimental procedures researchers are evaluating are: <TAB>T-cell depleted peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) transplantation <TAB> Cyclosporine given immediately after the transplant <TAB>Add-back of donor lymphocytes Patients undergoing these experimental techniques must be monitored closely to see if any benefit or harmful effects will occur. Information gathered from this study can be used to develop further research studies and potential new therapies for hematologic malignancies.

Immunotherapy with Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T Cells, T cells whose receptor has been genetically modified, is based on improving the immune response against the tumor. This approach is promising for patients with hematologic malignancies refractory to chemotherapy. Despite impressive results, too many patients are relapsing. The reasons for the relapse, after the injection of CAR T cells, need to be explored. In this context of newly introduced therapeutics, it is essential to better understand the factors associated with the response to treatment with CAR T Cells, especially the characteristics of the tumor and its microenvironment. The objective of this study is to understand the role of tumor biology, and its microenvironment, in the response to CAR-T Cells therapy in patients with hematologic malignancies