Active clinical trials for "Leukemia, Lymphoid"

This phase II trial studies how well cyclophosphamide works in preventing chronic graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplant in patients with hematological malignancies. Giving chemotherapy and total-body irradiation before transplantation helps stop the growth of cancer cells and prevents the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. Healthy stem cells from a donor that are infused into the patient help the patient's bone marrow make blood cells; red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Sometimes, however, the transplanted donor cells can cause an immune response against the body's normal cells, which is called graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Giving cyclophosphamide after transplant may prevent this from happening or may make chronic GVHD less severe.

A good proportion of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) can be managed effectively with palliative chemotherapy. However, there is a group of younger patients with poor risk disease whose life expectancy is significantly reduced. As a result, reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) has been investigated as a potentially curative procedure. Recently, the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) published a set of guidelines suggesting situations where allo-HCT might be considered a therapeutic option for CLL patients. Their conclusions were that allo-HCT was reasonable for younger CLL patients refractory to fludarabine, relapsing within two years of intensive treatment, or with p53 abnormalities requiring treatment. However, the results with RIC allo-HCT are not entirely satisfactory, and progression-free survival after allo-HCT revolves around 35-40% at 3-5 years following allo-HCT. This is due to non-relapse mortality, which is significantly associated with the development of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), but also due to disease relapse. These relapses may occur early in the course of the transplantation, like any other hematological malignancy, but late relapses have also been reported. Several strategies have been tested in order to improve these results. The anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab, given concomitantly with allo-HCT or donor lymphocyte infusions, may reduce graft-versus-host disease and facilitate disease control. This may be due, not only to direct cytotoxicity, but also to modulation of GVHD and the graft-versus CLL effect (GVCLL). Interestingly, rituximab has been shown to promote the cross-presentation of tumor-derived peptides by antigen-presenting cells, thus enhancing the formation of cytotoxic T-cell clones and a GVCLL effect. With the addition of rituximab to the conditioning regimen, rates at 4 years for current progression-free survival (CPFS) and overall survival were 44% and 48%. The investigators hypothesize that ofatumumab, having a more potent anti-CLL activity and complement-dependent cytoxicity than rituximab, could improve disease control and modulate the GVCLL effect more effectively, thus reducing the GVHD rate and subsequently improving the non-relapse mortality and progression-free survival in the long term.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether Dasatinib when added to standard chemotherapy is effective and safe in the treatment of pediatric philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Evolving paradigms in the treatment of adult ALL include the application of intense pediatric regimens to the treatment of adolescents and young adults (AYA) and the optimization of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in the cure of patients. The Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) and the Children's Cancer Group (CCG) first asked whether AYA between the ages of 16 and 20 fared differently whether they were treated on pediatric protocols. The results of this study demonstrated that although the complete remission rates were identical for the AYAs treated on the CALGB and CCG trials, the AYAs had a 63% event-free survival (EFS) and 67% OS at 7 years on the CCG trials compared with 34% and 46%, respectively, on the CALGB trials. High relapse and transplantation-related-mortality still remains great challenge for HSCT of adult ALL, which both range between 25% and 30%. Recently, risk-adapted indication and optimization of conditioning regimen are highlighted, which aiming to reduce TRM and relapse rate, respectively.City of Hope National Medical Center studied the substitution of etoposide (VP-16) for CY in the treatment of ALL patients receiving HCT. The result suggested that etoposide and TBI are associated with a decreased relapse rate following transplantation for ALL, compared with those receiving CY and TBI. Japanese and Germany reports pronounced the advantage of VP-16 in intensified regimen for adult ALL. On the same time, the investigators previous researches have confirmed the effect and safety of FA-intensified conditioning regimen on relapse and refractary leukemia. Based on mentioned above, the investigators speculate that VP-16-intensified conditioning regimen could improve the outcome for adult ALL. The potential mechanism will be attributed to reduce MRD and promote GVL effect via providing enough time-window for immuno-reconstitution by high-dose preparative regimen.

The purpose of this study is to confirm whether the bispecific T cell engager antibody blinatumomab (MT103) is effective and safe in the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).

This phase I trial studies the side effects and the best dose of temsirolimus when given together with dexamethasone, mitoxantrone hydrochloride, vincristine sulfate, and pegaspargase in treating young patients with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia or non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Temsirolimus may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as dexamethasone, mitoxantrone hydrochloride, vincristine sulfate, and pegaspargase work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving temsirolimus with combination chemotherapy may be and effective treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia or non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

This study is for patients with recently diagnosed blood cancer, called acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The standard treatment for this disease consists of many chemotherapy drugs that are given in different combinations in several steps. Each step of treatment is called a cycle. Patients will be treated with the chemotherapy drugs that are routinely used in ALL and which are given in multiple treatment cycles over several months. All the chemotherapy drugs that are used in this study have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One of the drugs, which is typically given to patients with ALL, is called Asparaginase. It is given together with the other drugs throughout the different cycles of treatment. This drug can be derived from several sources. The standard source is called E. coli Asparaginase, which is associated with a risk of allergic reactions. This drug stays in the body for a very short period of time; therefore, it has to be injected daily for 9-14 days in a cycle of treatment. In this study, a different form of Asparaginase will be used, called PEG-Asparaginase (also called Oncospar), which remains in the body for about two weeks, therefore, it can be given only once in a cycle of treatment and still maintains high blood levels of the drug. PEG-Asparaginase has recently been approved by the FDA to treat ALL. Most of the experience with the drug has been in children with ALL. In children it was found to be as safe as the standard form of Asparaginase and with less allergic reaction. It was also found to have the same effectiveness on ALL. The experience with this drug in adults has been more limited. The purpose of the study is to find out what side effects occur in adults when PEG-Asparaginase is given with other chemotherapy drugs and to see what effect it has on the response to treatment of ALL. Another purpose is to find out if the allergic reactions are reduced with PEG-Asparaginase. In children there is some early information that PEG-Asparaginase produces fewer antibodies than E.coli Asparaginase. Therefore, another purpose of the study is to see how many adult patients who receive PEG-Asparaginase develop antibodies against the drug.

Research studies have shown that children who are long-term survivors of childhood leukemia may be at greater risk for early bone loss called osteoporosis. This bone loss may lead to a greater risk of broken bones and other spine and bone problems. However, researchers still do not know much about how frequently this long-term side effect may occur and how severe the problem is. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital researchers want to determine the frequency and severity of this side effect. They are also studying whether taking calcium and Vitamin D supplements can help children at risk for osteoporosis and if certain factors can be identified -- such as age at diagnosis, cancer treatments, or family history -- that may increase the chances of having osteoporosis. Researchers will take an x-ray study called quantitative computed tomography (QCT) to measure bone mineral density (BMD). The BMD is a measure of bone strength. If a subject's BMD falls below the average, he/she will be assigned to one of two groups. Subjects will be randomly assigned (like tossing a coin) to receive calcium and vitamin D pills. The other half will receive placebo pills that look like the calcium and vitamin D pills.

The study evaluates the efficacy and tolerability of a dose-reduced chemotherapy for the treatment of elderly patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In patients with expression of CD20 on leukemic cells the efficacy and tolerability of additional application of Rituximab together with chemotherapy is evaluated.

The study evaluates the efficacy and tolerability of an intensified induction and consolidation therapy. Thereafter patients receive individualised treatment stratified according to relapse risk with stem cell transplantation for patients with high and very high risk of relapse. Patients with standard risk receive further consolidation and reinduction chemotherapy. In parallel minimal residual disease (MRD) is evaluated. A MRD based risk stratification and treatment decision is developed.