Active clinical trials for "Multiple Myeloma"

Background: Major problems with stem cell transplantation (SCT) for cancer treatment are a lack of suitable donors for patients without a human leukocyte-antigen (HLA) tissue-matched sibling and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a serious side effects of immune-suppressing chemotherapy that is given to bring the cancer under control before SCT. In GVHD, the patients immune system attacks the transplanted donor cells. This study will try to improve the results of SCT from unrelated HLA-matched donors using targeted immune-depleting chemotherapy to bring the cancer under control before transplantation and to lower the chance of graft rejection, followed by reduced-intensity transplant chemotherapy to make the procedure less toxic. Objectives: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of targeted immune-depleting chemotherapy followed by reduced-intensity transplant chemotherapy in patients with advanced cancers of the blood and immune system. To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of two different drug combinations to prevent GVHD. Both regimens have been successful in preventing GVHD, but they work by different mechanisms and affect the rebuilding of the immune system after the transplant. Eligibility: People 18 to 74 years of age with advanced or high-risk cancers of the blood and immune system who do not have a suitable HLA-matched sibling. Design: All patients receive chemotherapy before transplant to treat the cancer and suppress immune function. All patients receive a conditioning regimen of cyclophosphamide for 4 days and fludarabine for 4 days before SCT to prepare for the transplant. Patients are randomly assigned to one of two combination drug treatments to prevent GHVD as follows: Group 1: Tacrolimus starting 3 days before SCT and continuing for 6 months, plus methotrexate on days 1, 3, 6, and 11 post-SCT, plus sirolimus starting 3 days before the SCT and continues for 6 months following SCT. Group 2: Alemtuzumab for 4 days starting 8 days before SCT, plus cyclosporine starting 1 day before SCT and continuing for 6 months. Patients receive the donors stem cells and immune cells 2 days after completing the conditioning regimen. Patients are followed at the clinic regularly for the first 6 months after SCT, and then less often for at least 5 years. Some visits may include bone marrow aspirates and biopsies, blood draws, and other tests to monitor disease status. A skin biopsy, oral mucosa biopsy, and saliva collection are done to study chronic GVHD. ...

RATIONALE: Biological therapies, such as lenalidomide, may stimulate the immune system in different ways and stop cancer cells from growing. Vaccines may help the body build an effective immune response to kill cancer cells. Giving lenalidomide together with vaccine therapy may make a stronger immune response and kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving lenalidomide together with vaccine therapy works in treating patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

The purpose of this research study is to determine the safety of CCI-779 (Temsirolimus) and bortezomib (Velcade), and the highest dose of this drug that can be given to people safely. We will also be looking at how the combination of the two drugs may work against multiple myeloma. CCI-779 (Temsirolimus) is a drug that appears to stop myeloma cells from growing.

The main purpose of this study is to test the safety and determine the type and severity of any side effects of the Dendritic Cell Fusion Vaccine given in combination with an autologous transplant for patients with multiple myeloma. Autologous stem cell transplantation is a standard therapy for multiple myeloma that is often successful in significantly decreasing the amount of cancer. However, it is not a cure because at some point the multiple myeloma generally begins to grow again. Cancer vaccines are investigational agents that try to stimulate the immune system to recognize and fight against cancer cells. One type of cancer vaccine uses an immune stimulating cell of the body known as a dendritic cell. Research has shown that these dendritic cells can stimulate an immune response against the tumor.

Multiple myeloma is a malignant incurable hematological disease where survival has been significantly improved by high-dose melphalan with autologous stem cell support (ASCT) in younger patients. However, the disease will eventually relapse and new treatment is demanded. Bortezomib is a newly approved drug for treating relapsing multiple myeloma. It has a different biological effect and response even in patients refractory to conventional chemotherapy. The purpose of the study is in a randomized design to investigate if addition of bortezomib by 20 injections during a 4 months period starting 3 month after ASCT can prolong the time to progression compared to patients receiving no consolidation or maintenance therapy.

RATIONALE: Dexamethasone is used to treat multiple myeloma. Drugs used in chemotherapy may stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Plasma exchange is a process in which certain cells are separated from the plasma in the blood by a machine and then only the cells are returned to the patient. Dexamethasone and plasma exchange may be an effective treatment for acute kidney failure caused by multiple myeloma. It is not yet known whether giving dexamethasone and chemotherapy together with plasma exchange is more effective than giving dexamethasone and chemotherapy alone in treating patients with multiple myeloma and acute kidney failure. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying dexamethasone, chemotherapy, and plasma exchange to see how well they work compared with dexamethasone and chemotherapy alone in treating patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and acute kidney failure.

This is a phase I study of perifosine in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The current protocol will enroll patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma requiring second or third line therapy. Six patients each will be treated with at one of 4 dose levels in a phase 1 study. All patients will receive perifosine, lenalidomide and dexamethasone of each 28 day cycle. The doses of perifosine and lenalidomide will be varied in each group. The dose of dexamethasone will remain constant.

This is a Phase I/II, open-label, multi-center study conducted in patients with recurrent or refractory multiple myeloma who have failed at least two prior standard systemic treatments.

This is a multi-centre, single-arm treatment study combining lenalidomide plus high dose dexamethasone. Subjects who qualify for participation will receive lenalidomide plus high dose dexamethasone in 4 week cycles. Subjects will be seen every 2 weeks for the first 3 cycles of therapy and then every 4 weeks after the third cycle until disease progression is documented, study drug is discontinued for any reason or lenalidomide becomes commercially available for this indication. Assessments of safety and quality of life are performed during the study.

RATIONALE: Radioactive drugs, such as samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium, may carry radiation directly to cancer cells and not harm normal cells. Bortezomib may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth and by blocking blood flow to the cancer. Bortezomib may also make cancer cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium together with bortezomib may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of bortezomib when given together with samarium Sm 153 lexidronam pentasodium and to see how well they work in treating patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.