Active clinical trials for "Neoplasms, Plasma Cell"

RATIONALE: Bone marrow transplantation may be able to replace immune cells that were destroyed by the chemotherapy or radiation therapy that was used to kill cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in treating patients who have multiple myeloma, chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia, or agnogenic myeloid metaplasia.

RATIONALE: EMD 121974 may stop the growth of cancer by stopping blood flow to the tumor. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of EMD 121974 in treating patients who have locally advanced or metastatic cancer.

RATIONALE: Melphalan and colony-stimulating factors such as filgrastim may increase the number of immune cells found in bone marrow or peripheral blood. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of melphalan combined with filgrastim in stimulating peripheral stem cells in patients who have multiple myeloma.

Background: The mainstay of therapy for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients remains systemic chemotherapy. Although partial remissions of up to 60% are obtained with conventional regimens, multiple myeloma is essentially an incurable disease with a median survival of approximately 30 months. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) results in a high percentage of complete remissions, but it can be associated with significant treatment-related mortality, which has been primarily attributed to conventional myeloablative transplant regimens. Recent clinical studies have shown that highly immunosuppressive yet non-myeloablative doses of fludarabine-based chemotherapy can result in alloengraftment. Even with a reduction in treatment related mortality, success with allogeneic SCT is limited by a significant risk of relapse. Donor immunization with myeloma Id in the setting of a non-myeloablative allogeneic SCT may represent a novel strategy for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Objectives: Primary Objectives: To induce cellular and humoral immunity in allogeneic stem cell donors and recipients against the unique idiotype expressed by the recipient's myeloma. To determine whether antigen-specific immunity, induced in the stem cell donor, can be passively transferred to the allogeneic SCT recipient in the setting of a non-myeloablative conditioning regimen. Secondary Objectives: To evaluate the effect of the Fludarabine-(etoposide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, cyclophosphamide) EPOCH regimen on host T cell depletion and myeloid depletion prior to allogeneic SCT. To determine the efficacy of a novel conventional chemotherapy regimen (Fludarabine-EPOCH) in the setting multiple myeloma. To determine the treatment-related morbidity and mortality of allogeneic stem cell transplantation using a non-myeloablative conditioning regimen in multiple myeloma. To determine if the re-vaccination of allogeneic stem cell donors with the unique idiotype expressed by the recipient's myeloma will enhance cellular and humoral immunity to patient specific-idiotype prior to lymphocyte donation for the treatment of patients with recurrent or progressive disease after transplantation. Eligibility: Patients 18-75 years of age with Immunoglobulin G (IgG) or Immunoglobulin A (IgA) multiple myeloma. Patients must have achieved at least a partial remission following initial conventional chemotherapy regimen or after autologous stem cell transplantation. Consenting first degree relative matched at 6/6 or 5/6 human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antigens. Design: Phase 2 trial using a non-myeloablative conditioning regimen to reduce treatment-related toxicity. Recipient will undergo a plasmapheresis to obtain starting material for the isolation of idiotype protein. Donors would be immunized with an Id vaccine prepared from the patient. Prior to transplantation patients would receive a conventional chemotherapy regimen which contains agents active in myeloma and is T cell depleting. The allogeneic SCT would be performed with a conditioning regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine. The stem cell source would be blood mobilized with filgrastim. Recipients will be immunized with the Id vaccine following transplantation.

RATIONALE: Thalidomide may stop the growth of multiple myeloma by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Prednisone may be effective in preventing relapse of multiple myeloma. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to compare the effectiveness of two doses of thalidomide combined with prednisone following peripheral stem cell transplantation in treating patients who have multiple myeloma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Bone marrow transplantation may be able to replace immune cells that were destroyed by chemotherapy or radiation therapy used to kill cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of cyclophosphamide plus bone marrow transplantation in treating patients who have hematologic cancer.

RATIONALE: PS-341 may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for tumor cell growth. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of PS-341 in treating patients who have hematologic cancer.

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 by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Combining dexamethasone and thalidomide may kill more cancer cells. It is not yet known whether dexamethasone is more effective with or without thalidomide in treating multiple myeloma. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to determine the effectiveness of dexamethasone with or without thalidomide in treating patients who have multiple myeloma.

Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of 2-methoxyestradiol in treating patients who have advanced solid tumors. 2-methoxyestradiol may stop or slow the growth of solid tumors by stopping blood flow to the tumor

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Holmium Ho 166 DOTMP may deliver radiation directly to cancer cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Combining chemotherapy and holmium Ho 166 DOTMP with peripheral stem cell transplantation may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy and holmium Ho 166 DOTMP and kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of combining holmium Ho 166 DOTMP with melphalan and peripheral stem cell transplantation in treating patients who have multiple myeloma.