Active clinical trials for "Plasmacytoma"

RATIONALE: Darbepoetin alfa and epoetin alfa may stimulate red blood cell production and treat anemia in patients who are receiving chemotherapy. It is not yet known whether darbepoetin alfa is more effective than epoetin alfa in treating patients with anemia. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of darbepoetin alfa with that of epoetin alfa in treating anemia in patients who are receiving chemotherapy for cancer.

RATIONALE: Antifungal therapy with liposomal nystatin may reduce fever and neutropenia in patients undergoing treatment for hematologic cancer. It is not yet known whether liposomal nystatin is more effective than standard amphotericin B in treating patients with fever and neutropenia who are receiving chemotherapy for hematologic cancer or bone marrow transplantation for leukemia. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to study the effectiveness of liposomal nystatin compared with standard amphotericin B to treat fever and neutropenia in patients receiving chemotherapy for hematologic cancer or bone marrow transplantation for leukemia.

RATIONALE: Antiemetic drugs, such as ondansetron, may help to reduce or prevent nausea and vomiting in patients with advanced cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying how well ondansetron works compared to a placebo in treating patients with advanced cancer and chronic nausea and vomiting that is not caused by cancer therapy.

RATIONALE: Giving St. John's wort may be effective in relieving fatigue in patients with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy or hormone therapy. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to determine the effectiveness of St. John's wort in relieving fatigue in patients who are undergoing chemotherapy or hormone therapy for cancer.

RATIONALE: Omega-3 fatty acids are used by the body for energy and tissue development and may be an effective treatment for patients with advanced cancer who are unable to maintain their body weight. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids in treating patients with advanced cancer who have significant weight loss.

RATIONALE: Antibiotic therapy may prevent the development of infection in patients with hematologic cancer and the persistent fever caused by a low white blood cell count. It is not yet known which regimen of antibiotics is most effective in preventing infection in these patients. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to study the effectiveness of piperacillin-tazobactam with or without vancomycin in reducing fever in patients who have leukemia, lymphoma, or Hodgkin's disease.

RATIONALE: Visiting patients at home to teach them about self care after a stem cell transplant may be more effective than standard therapy in improving quality of life. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying home visits to see how well they work compared with standard therapy in treating patients undergoing donor stem cell transplant for hematologic cancer.

RATIONALE: Giving low doses of chemotherapy, monoclonal antibodies, and radiation therapy before a donor peripheral blood stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of cancer cells. It may also stop the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. The donated stem cells may replace the patient's immune cells and help destroy any remaining cancer cells (graft-versus-tumor effect). Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can also make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving tacrolimus, sirolimus, and antithymocyte globulin before and after transplant may stop this from happening. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects of giving sirolimus together with tacrolimus and antithymocyte globulin and to see how well it works in preventing graft-versus-host disease in patients with hematologic cancer who are undergoing donor stem cell transplant.

RATIONALE: Beclomethasone dipropionate may be effective in preventing acute graft-versus-host disease in patients undergoing a stem cell transplant for hematologic cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well beclomethasone dipropionate works in preventing acute graft-versus-host disease in patients undergoing a donor stem cell transplant for hematologic cancer.

RATIONALE: Sirolimus, tacrolimus, and methotrexate may be effective in preventing acute graft-versus-host disease in patients who are undergoing donor stem cell transplantation. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects of sirolimus when given together with tacrolimus and methotrexate and to see how well they work in preventing acute graft-versus-host disease in patients who are undergoing donor stem cell transplantation for hematologic cancer.