Active clinical trials for "Myelodysplastic Syndromes"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as VNP40101M and hydroxyurea, work in different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Hydroxyurea may help VNP40101M kill more cancer cells by making cancer cells more sensitive to the drug. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving VNP40101M with hydroxyurea works in treating patients with acute myelogenous leukemia or high-risk myelodysplasia.

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as infliximab, can locate tumor cells and either kill them or deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to study the effectiveness of infliximab in treating patients who have myelodysplastic syndrome.

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if clofarabine, when given in combination with ara-C (cytarabine), can help to improve the disease's response to therapy and to increase the duration of response in patients who are 50 years or older with leukemia. The safety of this combination treatment will also be studied.

The purpose of this trial is to examine the safety and efficacy of deferasirox in patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) and chronic iron overload from blood transfusions.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of DX-8951f in treating patients who have hematologic cancer.

RATIONALE: Bone marrow that has been treated to remove certain white blood cells may reduce the chance of developing graft-versus-host disease following bone marrow transplantation. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II/III trial to compare the effectiveness of treated bone marrow with that of untreated bone marrow in preventing graft-versus-host disease in patients with acute or chronic leukemia who are undergoing bone marrow transplantation.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Thalidomide may stop the growth of cancer cells by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Combining chemotherapy with thalidomide may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining fludarabine, carboplatin, and topotecan with thalidomide in treating patients who have relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, or advanced myelodysplastic syndromes.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Umbilical cord blood transplantation may be able to replace cells destroyed by chemotherapy. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy followed by umbilical cord blood transplantation in treating patients who have hematologic cancer or severe aplastic anemia.

To determine if a reduction in morbidity and mortality from acute and chronic graft versus host disease (GvHD) can be achieved through use of T-cell depletion techniques without a counterbalancing increase in relapse of leukemia in patients receiving an unrelated donor marrow transplant.

Chronic anemia is the symptom most frequently found at diagnosis in low risk myelodysplastic syndrome. It generates an increased rate of morbidity and mortality in this population of patients whose median age is high and the rate of co-mobidities important. The historical treatment is limited to transfusion support with a significant impact on quality of life and the incidence of secondary haemosiderosis, which contributes to the emergence of co-morbidities, especially cardiovascular. Treatment with rHuEPO allows for overall erythroid response in 40-60% of patients treated. In this trial, the investigators intend to study the interest of a treatment with epoetin beta in patients with anemia <10 g / dL in the context of a myelodysplastic syndrome with IPSS score <1. In addition to studying the erythroid response, the investigators will measure the impact on quality of life and functional performance. Patients will receive epoetin beta (60 000UI/week). Response will be assessed after 12 and 24 weeks of treatment.