View clinical trials related to Myelodysplastic Syndrome.
Filter by:Diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma fall into the category of blood cancers. Some of these conditions can now be cured by bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The ability of BMT to cure these conditions has been credited to the use of high doses of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and the antileukemia effect of the transplant. Because the effectiveness of BMT relies on the use of high doses of chemotherapy and total body irradiation (TBI), it is a therapy associated with toxic side effects. These side effects are often deadly and have limited BMT for use in patients under the age of 55. In this study researchers plan to treat older patients between the ages of 55 to 75 years with blood cell transplants taken from donors who are genetically matched relatives of the patient. In order to decrease the toxic side effects associated with the transplant, researchers will not use chemoradiotherapy. Instead they plan to use intensive immunosuppressive therapy and allow the transplanted cells to take effect.
Bone marrow transplants (BMT) are one of the accepted therapies used to treat leukemia. However, BMT have risks of complications. One potentially life-threatening complication is known as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The GVHD is a reaction caused by an incompatibility between donor cells and recipient cells. Antigens found on the recipient s cells are recognized by the donor s transplanted white blood cell lymphocytes. These lymphocytes begin attacking the recipient s cells and tissues and may lead to death. One of the most effective ways to prevent this reaction is to remove the lymphocytes from the transplanted marrow. Unfortunately, without lymphocytes the recipient s immune system will be lowered and may result in a relapse of leukemia or an infection. Researchers have shown they can perform effective BMT by removing the lymphocytes prior to the transplant and then later adding the lymphocytes back. This technique can reduce the potential for GVHD and preserve the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect of the transplant. In this study researchers plan to use peripheral blood with lymphocytes removed rather than bone marrow. In order to increase the number of progenitor cells, the cells responsible for correcting the leukemia, donors will receive doses of G-CSF prior to the transplant. G-CSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor) is a growth factor that increases the production of progenitor cells in the donor s blood stream. The study will be broken into two parts. The first part of the study will attempt to determine if peripheral blood with lymphocytes removed can prevent GVHD while preserving the GVL effect of the transplant. In the second part of the study, patients that received the transplant will have the lymphocytes added-back on two separate occasions in order reduce the chances of relapse and infection. The study is designed to treat up to 55 patients ages 10 to 60 years and follow their progress for 5 years.