High-Dose Gemcitabine, Busulfan and Melphalan for Patients With Refactory Hodgkin's Disease
Condition: Lymphoma
MeSH terms: Hodgkin Disease
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 2

Summary: 
      The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if the combination of gemcitabine,
      busulfan, and melphalan, when given before a stem cell transplant, can help to control
      refractory Hodgkin's disease. The safety of this study treatment will also be studied.
    

Detailed description: 
      Study Drugs:

      Busulfan and melphalan are designed to kill cancer cells by binding to DNA (the genetic
      material of cells), which may cause cancer cells to die. They are commonly used in stem cell
      transplantation.

      Gemcitabine is designed to disrupt the growth of cancer cells, which may cause cancer cells
      to die. It may help to increase the effect of busulfan and melphalan on cancer cells by not
      allowing these cells to repair the DNA damage caused by busulfan or melphalan.

      Apheresis:

      Your cells have previously been collected by a procedure called apheresis. Apheresis is the
      process of filtering part of the blood from the body in order to remove the stem cells. The
      rest of the blood is then returned back to your body. You signed a separate consent for this
      procedure.

      Busulfan Test Dose:

      You will receive a test dose of busulfan by vein over about 1 hour. This low-level test dose
      of busulfan is to check how the level of busulfan in your blood levels changes over time.
      This information will be used to decide the next dose needed to reach the target blood level
      that matches your body size. You will most likely receive this as an outpatient during the
      week before you are admitted to the hospital. If it cannot be given as an outpatient, you
      will be admitted to the hospital on Day -11 (11 days before your stem cells are returned to
      your body) and the test dose will be given on Day -10.

      About 11 samples of blood (about 1 teaspoon each time) will be drawn for pharmacokinetic (PK)
      testing of busulfan. PK testing measures the amount of study drug in the body at different
      time points and will help the study doctor determine what your dose of busulfan should be on
      study. These blood samples will be drawn at various timepoints before you receive busulfan
      and over about the next 11 hours. The blood samples will be repeated again on the first day
      of high-dose busulfan treatment (Day -8). A temporary heparin lock line will be placed in
      your vein to lower the number of needle sticks needed for these draws. If it is not possible
      for the PK tests to be performed for technical or scheduling reasons, you will receive the
      standard fixed dose of busulfan.

      If you receive the busulfan test dose as an outpatient:

      On Days -12 through Day -10, you will receive palifermin by vein over about 30 seconds each
      day to help decrease the risk of side effects in the mouth and throat.

      You will be admitted on Day -9 and will receive fluids by vein. You will begin to swish the
      liquids caphosol and glutamine in your mouth 4 times a day, for about 2 minutes each time.
      You will swish these liquids every day until you leave the hospital. These drugs are also
      used to help decrease the risk of side effects in the mouth and throat.

      If you receive the busulfan test dose as an inpatient:

      On Days -13 through Day -11, you will receive palifermin by vein over about 30 seconds each
      day to help decrease the risk of side effects in the mouth and throat.

      You will be admitted on Day -11 and will receive fluids by vein. You will begin to swish the
      liquids caphosol and glutamine in your mouth 4 times a day, for about 2 minutes each time.
      You will swish these liquids every day until you leave the hospital. These drugs are also
      used to help decrease the risk of side effects in the mouth and throat.

      On Day -10 you will receive the Busulfan test dose by vein over 1 hour.

      Study Drug Administration (for all patients):

      On Days -9 through -2, you will receive dexamethasone by vein over about 15 minutes to help
      decrease the risk of the possible side effects of the study drugs.

      On Days -8 through -5, you will receive busulfan by vein over about 3 hours each day.

      On Days -8 and -3, you will receive gemcitabine by vein over about 4 hours on both days.

      On Days -3 and -2, you will receive melphalan by vein over about 30 minutes on both days.

      On Day -1, you will not receive any study drugs.

      On Day 0, your stem cells will be returned to your body by vein over 30-60 minutes.

      On Days 0 through 2, you will receive palifermin by vein over about 30 seconds each day.

      Beginning on Day +5, you will receive filgrastim (a drug that helps with the growth of white
      blood cells) through a needle under your skin 1 time each day until your blood cell levels
      return to normal.

      If your tumor cells are found to have the CD20 protein, you will receive rituximab by vein
      over 4-8 hours on Days 1 and 8, which is standard treatment for this type of tumor when
      combined with high-dose chemotherapy.

      Study Tests:

      While you are in the hospital, you will be checked for any side effects as part of your
      standard of care. Blood (about 2 teaspoons) will be drawn every day to check for side
      effects.

      As part of standard care, you will remain in the hospital for about 3-4 weeks after
      transplantation. After you are released from the hospital, you must remain in the Houston
      area to be monitored for infections and other transplant side effects until about Day 30.
      During this time, you will return to the clinic 1 time each week and the following tests and
      procedures will be performed:

        -  You will be asked about how you are feeling and about any side effects you may be
           having.

        -  Blood (about 2 teaspoons) will be drawn for routine tests.

      Around Day 30, if your doctor thinks it is needed, you will have a positron-emission
      tomography/CT (PET/CT) and/or a CT scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis to check the status
      of the disease.

      You will have a lung function test about 30-100 days after the transplant.

      Length of Study:

      You will be taken off study about 100 days after the transplant. You may be taken off study
      early if the disease gets worse or you experience any intolerable side effects.

      You must talk to the study doctor if you want to leave the study early. It may be
      life-threatening to leave the study after you have begun to receive the study drugs but
      before you receive the stem cells.

      End-of-Study Visit:

      At Day 100, the following tests and procedures will be performed:

        -  Your medical history will be recorded.

        -  You will have a physical exam.

        -  Blood (about 2 teaspoons) and urine will be collected for routine tests.

        -  If your doctor thinks it is needed, you will have a (PET/CT) and/or a CT scan of the
           chest, abdomen, and pelvis to check the status of the disease.

        -  If your doctor thinks it is needed, you will have a bone marrow biopsy to check the
           status of the disease.

      This is an investigational study. Busulfan, gemcitabine, and melphalan are all FDA approved
      and commercially available for the treatment of lymphoma and several other tumors. The use of
      these study drugs together and the use of gemcitabine at the dose level used in this study is
      investigational.
    

Intervention name(s): Gemcitabine; Busulfan; Melphalan; Stem Cell Transplantation; Palifermin
Intervention type(s): Drug; Drug; Drug; Procedure; Drug
Intervention description(s): 2775 mg/m2 by vein over about 3 hours on days -8 and -3.; 32 mg/m2 test dose with PKs as outpatient and on day -10 as inpatient
AUC 4,000 by vein over about 3 hours on days -8 to -5.; 60 mg/m2 by vein over about 30 minutes on days -3 and -2.; Infusion of stem cells on Day 0.; 60 mg/kg by vein over 30 seconds daily, Days -12 to -10 and Days 0 to 2.
Other intervention name(s): Gemcitabine Hydrochloride; Gemzar; Busulfex; Myleran; Alkeran; SCT; Kepivance
Intervention MeSH terms: Gemcitabine; Melphalan; Busulfan
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Hodgkin's disease; Relapsed; Refractory; High-dose chemotherapy; Busulfan; Gemcitabine; Melphalan