Active clinical trials for "Myelodysplastic Syndromes"

This randomized allogeneic transplantation protocol compares i.v. Treosulfan-based conditioning therapy with reduced intensity i.v. Busulfan-based conditioning in adult AML and MDS patients at increased risk for standard conditioning therapies. The protocol is based on results of previous phase I/II trials evaluating Treosulfan/Fludarabine conditioning prior to allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The reference arm (reduced intensity i.v. Busulfan/Fludarabine) is considered to be accepted medical practice for the study patient population.

RATIONALE: Giving chemotherapy, such as fludarabine, busulfan, and cyclophosphamide, before a donor peripheral blood 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 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 make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving high-dose cyclophosphamide together with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil after transplant may stop this from happening. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well combination chemotherapy works when given together with a donor stem cell transplant, followed by tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and high-dose cyclophosphamide, in treating patients with high-risk hematologic cancer.

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if combining the drugs thymoglobulin, methylprednisolone, cyclosporine, and G-CSF (NeupogenTM or NeulastaTM ) can help to control severe aplastic anemia (AA) or hypoplastic myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The safety of this combination therapy will also be studied.

The goals of the study are (Phase I) to determine the appropriate dose for Clofarabine with Busulfan as a full-intensity conditioning (Clo/BU4 regimen) prior to transplant and then (Phase II) to investigate the safety and effectiveness of this regimen as a conditioning for stem cell transplant in the treatment of aggressive hematologic malignancies in subjects where more conventional approaches are failing.

The goal of this clinical research study is to find the highest tolerable dose of Azacytidine (5-azacytidine) combined with cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) for the treatment of patients with relapsed and/or refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) or high-risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). The safety and effectiveness of this treatment combination will also be studied.

This study uses a new investigational (not yet approved by the FDA for widespread use) drug called ZIO-101, an organic arsenical. You must be diagnosed to have relapsed/refractory leukemia or lymphoma (blood cancer) and have tried other standard therapies. This study is designed to determine whether ZIO-101 may be given safely. The study will also test whether ZIO-101 helps to treat blood cancer. We anticipate that approximately 22 to 35 patients will take part in this study. Arsenic has been used as a medicinal agent for centuries in many different cultures. Most recently in the United States, an inorganic arsenic compound was approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). However, use of inorganic arsenic is limited by a narrow range of activity and systemic toxicity, most notably of the cardiac system. ZIO-101 is an organic arsenic derivative. In vitro testing in both the National Cancer Institute (NCI) cancer cell panel and in vivo testing in a leukemia animal model demonstrated substantial activity of SGLU against hematologic cancers. In vitro testing of SGLU using the NCI human cancer cell panel also detected activity against lung, colon and brain cancers, melanoma, and ovary and kidney cancers. Moderate activity was seen against breast and prostate cancers cells. Data suggest that organic arsenic generates reactive oxygen species in the cells to induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.

RATIONALE: Giving an infusion of donor lymphocytes may be able to kill cancer cells in patients with hematologic cancer that has come back after a donor stem cell transplant. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how well donor lymphocyte infusion works in treating patients with recurrent or persistent hematologic cancer after donor stem cell transplant.

This study will determine the highest dose of the experimental drug ON 01910.Na that can safely be given to patients with the bone marrow disorder myelodysplasia (MDS) and patients with refractory AML with trisomy 8. In this disease, the bone marrow can make some blood cells, but very few of these cells are released into the blood for use in the body. ON 01910.Na is an experimental drug that inhibits a protein called cyclinD1that is important for keeping MDS cells alive. In laboratory experiments, ON 01910.Na has acted against cyclinD1, causing MDS cells to die. The study will also evaluate how the body handles ON 01910.Na, the effect of the drug on MDS and AML and its side effects. Patients 18 to 85 years old with MDS or AML who do not have a suitable sibling donor for a marrow transplant or who are not willing to have a transplant may be eligible for this study. Participants receive ON 01910.Na in 2-week treatment cycles, with 3 to 5 days of drug infusion through a vein followed by 9 to 11 days of observation. To find the highest safe dose of ON 01910.Na, the first person enrolled in the study is given the smallest study dose of the drug for 3 days, followed 2 weeks later with a second dose for 3 days. If these doses are found safe, the next two people receive the same dose. If these subjects do well, the next group of patients receives the next higher dose level. The dose continues to be increased in groups of 3 to 6 subjects until the fourth and highest dose level is reached. Patients who do well on the treatment may receive an additional six cycles of ON 01910.Na (3 to 5 days of infusion once every other week for 12 weeks). Before, during and after the treatment period, patients are periodically evaluated and monitored with the following tests and procedures: Physical examination and review of medical and medication history. Blood and urine tests. Pregnancy test for women of childbearing age. Electrocardiogram (EKG) and chest X-ray. Bone marrow biopsy.

In this study two cord blood collections will be used to increase the number of cord blood cells you will receive on transplant day. We call this a "double unit" cord blood transplant. A previous study suggests double unit cord blood transplant may have a better result. The main purpose of this study is to find out how good a cord blood transplant using two cord blood collections from two different babies is at curing you of your cancer. Double unit cord blood transplants are now being studied as a way to increase the number of cord blood cells given to bigger children and adult patients. Based on studies that have already been done double unit cord blood transplant appears to be safer than if only one cord blood unit is used. However, double unit cord blood transplant is a fairly new form of treatment.

The central hypothesis of this study is that use of a less toxic chemotherapy preparative regimen for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in combination with T cell depletion with alemtuzumab for patients with high risk hematologic malignancies will allow effective control of disease and improved disease free and overall survival compared with historical expectations. Specifically, the objectives are to estimate toxicity, disease free, progression free, event free, and overall survival rates in patients treated with alemtuzumab T cell depleted, reduced intensity preparative regimen followed by allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation; evaluate immune recovery following this reduced intensity allogeneic immunotherapy; develop an in vitro assay to allow patient individualized targeted dosing.