Active clinical trials for "Preleukemia"

Blood and marrow stem cell transplant has improved the outcome for patients with high-risk hematologic malignancies. However, most patients do not have an appropriate HLA (immune type) matched sibling donor available and/or are unable to identify an acceptable unrelated HLA matched donor through the registries in a timely manner. Another option is haploidentical transplant using a partially matched family member donor. Although haploidentical transplant has proven curative in many patients, this procedure has been hindered by significant complications, primarily regimen-related toxicity including graft versus host disease (GVHD) and infection due to delayed immune reconstitution. These can, in part, be due to certain white blood cells in the graft called T cells. GVHD happens when the donor T cells recognize the body tissues of the patient (the host) are different and attack these cells. Although too many T cells increase the possibility of GVHD, too few may cause the recipient's immune system to reconstitute slowly or the graft to fail to grow, leaving the patient at high-risk for significant infection. This research project will investigate the use of particular pre-transplant conditioning regimen (chemotherapy, antibodies and total body irradiation) followed by a stem cell infusion from a "mismatched" family member donor. Once these stem cells are obtained they will be highly purified in an effort to remove T cells using the investigational CliniMACS stem cell selection device. The primary goal of this study will be to determine the rate of neutrophil and platelet engraftment, as well as the degree and rate of immune reconstitution in the first 100 days posttransplant for patients who receive this study treatment. Researchers will also study ways to decrease complications that may occur with a transplant from a genetically mismatched family donor.

RATIONALE: A donor stem cell transplant can lower the body's immune system, making it difficult to fight off infection. Giving antibiotics, such as moxifloxacin, may help prevent bacterial infections in patients who have recently undergone donor stem cell transplant. It is not yet known whether moxifloxacin is more effective than a placebo in preventing bacterial infections in patients who have recently undergone donor stem cell transplant. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying moxifloxacin to see how well it works compared with a placebo in preventing bacterial infections in patients who have recently undergone donor stem cell transplant.

RATIONALE: Probiotics, such as Lactobacillus, may be effective in preventing infections in patients with suppressed immune systems. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and how well giving enteral nutrition, including Lactobacillus, works in preventing infections in patients undergoing donor stem cell transplant for hematologic cancer or myelodysplastic syndrome.

RATIONALE: Antibiotics such as amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, and moxifloxacin may be effective in preventing or controlling fever and neutropenia in patients with cancer. It is not yet known whether moxifloxacin alone is more effective than amoxicillin combined with ciprofloxacin in treating neutropenia and fever. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying how well moxifloxacin works and compares it to ciprofloxacin together with amoxicillin in treating neutropenia and fever in patients with cancer.

Several previous studies (clinical and non-clinical) hypothesize that treatment with deferasirox causes a hematological improvement in transfused patients with low and intermediate-1 risk myelodysplastic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to assess the presence of genetic biomarkers predictive for hematologic response by the use of gene expression profiling of bone marrow aspirates obtained from MDS patients with or without hematological response.

This Phase II clinical trial was designed for patients with hematologic malignancies in need of donor peripheral blood stem cell transplant, and have no HLA matched donor. Therefore It will test the efficacy of combining sirolimus, tacrolimus, antithymocyte globulin, and rituximab in preventing graft versus host disease in transplants from HLA Haploidentical and partially mismatched donors.

This randomized pilot clinical trial studies a home telemonitoring device in managing the care of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia after they are discharged from the hospital following chemotherapy. After treatment and hospital discharge, patients typically need extensive care to deal with the side effects of chemotherapy, keep up with medications, and obtain medical assistance. A home telemonitoring device would allow patients to monitor vital signs, symptoms, and use of medications, communicate with healthcare providers, and access educational material. A telemonitoring device may allow patients to be managed more effectively than standard outpatient care after being discharged from the hospital.

In this phase II study besides evaluating for safety, the primary efficacy parameter is to evaluate the incidence of patients who have had a response to Trisenox by evidence of increased blood counts (red, white, or platelets) and/or by decrease or transfusion dependency. The secondary efficacy parameter is the assessment of the tolerability of the new dosing schedule. Arsenic trioxide will be administered intravenously over 1 to 2 hours with a loading dose of 0.30mg/kg for days 1-5 of the first week and then twice weekly for 27 weeks for a total of 28 weeks.

RATIONALE: Cyproheptadine hydrochloride may help improve appetite and lessen weight loss caused by cancer or cancer treatment. It is not yet known whether cyproheptadine hydrochloride is more effective with or without nutritional supplementation in improving weight and quality of life of young patients with weight loss caused by cancer or cancer treatment. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying cyproheptadine hydrochloride to see how well it works when given together with or without nutritional supplementation in treating young patients with weight loss caused by cancer or cancer treatment.

RATIONALE: Methadone, morphine, or oxycodone may help relieve pain caused by cancer. It is not yet known whether methadone is more effective than morphine or oxycodone in treating pain in patients with cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying methadone to see how well it works compared with morphine or oxycodone in treating pain in patients with cancer.