Active clinical trials for "Leukemia"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well combination chemotherapy works in treating young patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

This is one of the first studies of combination of Zarnestra plus Velcade in man. A primary objective of the study is therefore to assess the safety and tolerability of multiple doses of Zarnestra plus Velcade in patients with AML. New treatments for patients that are untreatable with intensive chemotherapy aged de novo AML patients or post-relapse AML are urgently required since, at present, many of the drugs used for second line therapy are the same as those used for first induction and response rates are much lower. The following evidence suggests that Velcade plus Zarnestra can be an attractive therapeutic combination for: AML patients. Affymetrix gene profiling data showed expression of NFkB1 in all of 5 myeloid cell lines cell lines tested and 35% of over 250 patient samples ( data generated in collaboration with Sergio Ferrari and Pier Paolo Piccaluga unpublished results, our Institute and University of Modena,Italy) Preclinical evidence showed that AML cells in suspension culture were prevented to develop de novo drug resistance and mediated drug resistance. In Part B additional patients with AML will be treated to further characterize the tolerability,biological effects, and clinical efficacy of the combination Velcade plus Zarnestra. Patients on treatment for AML will undergo regular bone marrow aspirates and biopsies to assess responses to treatment. This will facilitate frequent assessment of biological endpoints (reduction in expression and phosphorylation of IKKb kinase, and downstream markers of signalling along with apoptosis, survival, proliferation and cellular size and ploidy) will be made in an attempt to confirm that the desired biological activity has been achieved at the maximum tolerated dose.

RATIONALE: The CAT-8015 immunotoxin can bind tumor cells and kill them without harming normal cells. This may be an effective treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), prolymphocytic leukemia (PLL), or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL that has not responded to chemotherapy, surgery or radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Phase I dose escalation study to determine the maximum tolerated dose of CAT-8015 immunotoxin in treating patients who have chronic lymphocytic leukemia, prolymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma that has not responded to treatment

Primary Objectives: This a pilot project to determine the feasibility of the preemptive CD8+ depleted T-cell donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) in: Reducing the incidence of graft versus host disease (GVHD) based on standard classification of acute and chronic GVHD Improving hte disease remission rate in comparison with our previous study results. Secondary Objectives: To investigate the impact of CD8+ depleted T-cell DLI in hematopoietic chimerism, and immunologic recovery of transplant patients.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical efficacy of high-dose methotrexate consolidation therapy for adult patients with BCR-ABL-negative ALL.

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies can locate cancer cells and either kill them or deliver cancer-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of monoclonal antibody therapy in treating patients who have recurrent acute lymphoblastic leukemia or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The purpose of this study is to test the safety of Iodine-131 Anti-B1 Antibody, to see what effects it has on patients with CLL and to determine the highest dose of Iodine-131 Anti-B1 Antibody that can be given without causing severe side effects.

RATIONALE: Imatinib mesylate may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for cancer cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining imatinib mesylate and chemotherapy may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of imatinib mesylate plus cytarabine in treating patients who have newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy in treating patients who have relapsed or refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia.

RATIONALE: Umbilical cord blood or placental blood 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 umbilical cord blood and placental blood transplantation in treating patients who have hematologic cancer or aplastic anemia.