Active clinical trials for "Hematologic Neoplasms"

The purpose of this study is to determine the dose that can be safely given to see what effect it may have on your cancer and to determine how the drug is distributed in the body.

Objectives: To evaluate disease free survival after Campath 1H-based in vivo T-cell depletion and non-myelo-ablative ablative stem cell transplantation in patients with hematologic malignancies. To evaluate the incidence and severity of acute and chronic GVHD after Campath 1H-based in vivo T-cell depletion, in patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing non-myelo-ablative stem cell transplantation. To evaluate engraftment and chimerism after Campath 1H-based in vivo T-cell depletion and non-myelo-ablative ablative stem cell transplantation in patients with hematologic malignancies.

The purpose of this study is to estimate the maximum tolerated dose of dexamethasone given for 5 consecutive days when combined with fixed doses of irinotecan (given IV, qd x 5, 2 days off, qd x 5) and vincristine (given IV, 2 doses total on days 1 and 8 of schedule) in children with relapsed or refractory hematologic malignancies. In addition we will also study the pharmacokinetics of irinotecan when given without and then with dexamethasone in each patient, evaluate the relationship between irinotecan pharmacokinetic parameters and toxicity and describe any antitumor effects.

The purpose of this study is to find out if Darbepoetin alfa is effective in treating low red blood cell levels after allogeneic stem cell transplant. Darbepoetin alfa has been shown to help raise red blood cell levels without blood transfusions.

This phase I multicenter feasibility trial is studying the safety and potential efficacy of infusing ex vivo expanded cord blood progenitors with one unmanipulated umbilical cord blood unit for transplantation following conditioning with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation (TBI), and immunosuppression with cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) for patients with hematologic malignancies. Chemotherapy, such as fludarabine and cyclophosphamide, and TBI given before an umbilical cord blood transplant stops the growth of leukemia cells and works to prevent the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. The healthy stem cells from the donor's umbilical cord blood help the patient's bone marrow make new red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. It may take several weeks for these new blood cells to grow. During that period of time, patients are at increased risk for bleeding and infection. Faster recovery of white blood cells may decrease the number and severity of infections. Studies have shown that counts are more likely to recover more quickly if increased numbers of cord blood cells are given with the transplant. We have developed a way of growing or "expanding" the number of cord blood cells in the lab so that there are more cells available for transplant. We are doing this study to find out whether or not giving these expanded cells along with one unexpanded cord blood unit is safe and if use of expanded cells can decrease the time it takes for white blood cells to recover after transplant. We will study the time it takes for blood counts to recover, which of the two cord blood units makes up the patient's new blood system, and how quickly immune system cells return

The purpose of this study is to transplant haploidentical related peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) that come from a relative such as a parent, sibling, a child or other relative who has a half-matched tissue type with the recipient (rather than being completely matched) following administration of a reduced-intensity regimen of busulfan, melphalan and alemtuzumab.

This phase I/II trial studies whether stopping cyclosporine before mycophenolate mofetil is better at reducing the risk of life-threatening graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) than the previous approach where mycophenolate mofetil was stopped before cyclosporine. The other reason this study is being done because at the present time there are no curative therapies known outside of stem cell transplantation for these types of cancer. Because of age or underlying health status, patients may have a higher likelihood of experiencing harm from a conventional blood stem cell transplant. This study tests whether this new blood stem cell transplant method can be made safer by changing the order and length of time that immune suppressing drugs are given after transplant.

ABT-751 is a new antitumor drug that that interferes with cell division. The goal of this clinical research study is to find the highest safe dose of ABT-751 that can be given as a treatment for refractory hematologic malignancies. The safety and side effects of ABT-751 will also be studied.

This study will investigate the safety and effectiveness of a modified stem cell transplant procedure for treating cancers of the blood and immune system. Patients with cancers and pre-cancerous conditions originating in blood or immune system cells can sometimes benefit greatly from, and even be cured by, transplants of stem cells (cells produced by the bone marrow that mature into blood cells). In addition to producing new bone marrow and restoring normal blood production and immunity, the donated cells fight any residual tumor cells that might have remained in the body, in what is called a graft-versus-tumor effect. However, severe problems, and sometimes death, may follow these transplants as a result of the high-dose chemotherapy and radiation that accompany the procedure. Also, donated immune system cells called T cells sometimes attack healthy tissues in a reaction called graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD), damaging organs such as the liver, intestines and skin. This study will use the following strategies to try to reduce these risks: induction chemotherapy to reduce patient's immunity in an attempt to prevent rejection of the donated stem cells; reduced-intensity conditioning chemotherapy that is easier for the body to tolerate and involves a shorter period of complete immune suppression; donation of immune cells called T helper type 2 (Th2) cells instead of T cells to try to reduce the risk of serious GVHD; treatment with methotrexate and cyclosporine to try to reduce the risk of serious GVHD. Patients between 12 and 75 years of age with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, myelodysplasia, idiopathic myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera, or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia may be eligible for this study. Candidates will have a medical history, physical and dental examinations, blood and urine tests (including a blood test for genetic match with the donor), lung and heart function tests, and X-ray studies. A bone marrow biopsy may be done to evaluate disease status. Patients with lymphoma may have a nuclear medicine test called a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. Participants will have a central venous line (large plastic tube) placed into a major vein. This tube can stay in the body and be used during the entire treatment period to deliver the donated stem cells and give medications, including chemotherapy and other drugs, antibiotics and blood transfusions, and to withdraw blood samples. Treatment will start with induction chemotherapy, which will include the drugs fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone. Some patients may also receive an antibody called rituximab. Patients will receive one to three cycles of this treatment, depending on their response to the drugs. (One cycle consists of 5 days on drug therapy followed by a 16-day rest period.) Several days before the transplant procedure, patients will start conditioning chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide and fludarabine. Three days after the conditioning therapy is completed, the stem cells will be infused. To help prevent GVHD, patients will take four doses of methotrexate (by vein) shortly after the transplant, and cyclosporine (by mouth or by vein) for about 6 months after the transplant. The average hospital stay for stem cell transplantation is 3 to 4 weeks. After discharge, patients will return for frequent follow-up visits for 3 months. Monthly visits will be scheduled for the next 3 months, then every 3 months for the next 18 months, and less frequently for a total of at least 5 years post-transplant. These visits will include bone marrow aspirates and biopsies, blood draws, and other tests to monitor disease status.

The purpose of this trial is to assess the efficacy, safety, tolerability, biologic activity, and pharmacokinetics of AMN107 in six groups of patients with one of the following conditions: Relapsed/refractory Ph+ Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (arm 1) Group A - Imatinib failure only (arms 2, 3 and 4) imatinib-resistant or intolerant CML - Chronic Phase (CP) imatinib-resistant or intolerant CML - Accelerated Phase (AP) imatinib-resistant or intolerant CML - Blast Crisis (BC) Group B - Imatinib and other TKI failure (arms 2, 3 and 4) imatinib-resistant or intolerant CML - Chronic Phase (CP) imatinib-resistant or intolerant CML - Accelerated Phase (AP) imatinib-resistant or intolerant CML - Blast Crisis (BC) Hypereosinophilic syndrome/chronic eosinophilic leukemia (HES/CEL) (arm 5) Systemic mastocytosis (Sm) (arm 6)