Clinical Research Directory

A Two-Step Approach to Reduced Intensity Bone Marrow Transplant for Patients With Hematological Malignancies

This phase II trial studies how well reduced intensity donor stem cell transplant works in treating patients with hematologic malignancies. Giving chemotherapy and total-body irradiation before a donor peripheral blood stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of cells in the bone marrow, including normal blood-forming cells (stem cells) and cancer cells. It may also stop the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. When the healthy stem cells from a donor are infused into the patient they may help the patient's bone marrow make stem cells, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The donated stem cells may also replace the patient's immune cells and help destroy any remaining cancer cells. Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can make an immune response against the body's normal cells (called graft-versus-host disease). Giving tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil after the transplant may stop this from happening. Once the donated stem cells begin working, the patient's immune system may see the remaining cancer cells as not belonging in the patient's body and destroy them. Giving an infusion of the donor's white blood cells (donor lymphocyte infusion) may boost this effect.

Infection Prophylaxis and Management in Treating Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection in Patients With Hematologic Malignancies Previously Treated With Donor Stem Cell Transplant

RATIONALE: Infection prophylaxis and management may help prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection caused by a stem cell transplant. PURPOSE:This clinical trial studies infection prophylaxis and management in treating cytomegalovirus infection in patients with hematologic malignancies previously treated with donor stem cell transplant.

Clofarabine and Melphalan Before Donor Stem Cell Transplant in Treating Patients With Myelodysplasia, Acute Leukemia in Remission, or Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia

This phase II trial studies how well clofarabine and melphalan before a donor stem cell transplant works in treating patients with a decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of myelodysplasia or acute leukemia (disease is in remission), or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Giving chemotherapy, such as clofarabine and melphalan, before a donor 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. When the healthy stem cells from a donor are infused into a patient they may help the patient's bone marrow make stem cells, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Giving clofarabine and melphalan before transplant may help prevent the cancer from coming back after transplant, and they may cause fewer side effects than standard treatment.

Genetically Modified T-cell Immunotherapy in Treating Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Persistent/Recurrent Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm

This phase I trial studies the side effects and the best dose of genetically modified T-cells after lymphodepleting chemotherapy in treating patients with acute myeloid leukemia or blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm that has returned after a period of improvement or has not responded to previous treatment. An immune cell is a type of blood cell that can recognize and kill abnormal cells in the body. The immune cell product will be made from patient or patient's donor (related or unrelated) blood cells. The immune cells are changed by inserting additional pieces of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) (genetic material) into the cell to make it recognize and kill cancer cells. Placing a modified gene into white blood cells may help the body build an immune response to kill cancer cells.