Conditions: Graft Versus Host Disease GVHD
Keywords: non-myeloablative peripheral blood stem cell PBSCT tacrolimus sirolimus
Allocation: NA | Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Enrollment: 31
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The purpose of this study is to extend the use of Tacrolimus and Sirolimus to determine how effective it is in preventing graft versus host disease (GVHD)in patients that have received non-myeloablative peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

Detailed description:
* After the screening procedures confirm that the patient is eligible to participate in the research study, they will be admitted to the hospital to receive chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation (SCT). The duration of the hospitalization for the procedure is approximately 8 days.
* Patients will receive fludarabine once daily over 30 minutes intravenously for 4 days and busulfex once daily over 3 hours intravenously each day for the same 4 days.
* Just prior to the transplant and following the transplant the patient will receive sirolimus and tacrolimus to help prevent Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD). Both medications are taken orally.
* Patients will also take medications to help prevent possible infections (e.g. acyclovir). Filgrastim, a white blood cell growth factor, will be given daily in an injection under the skin, starting the day after the stem cell transplant and until the patients blood counts have recovered.
* After the stem cell infusion, the patient will be examined and have blood tests weekly for 1 month. At about the 1-month visit, a bone marrow biopsy and/or blood tests will be performed to determine the percentage of donor's cells in the blood or bone marrow. These tests will be repeated at 3-4 months after transplant.
* At 3-4 months after the transplant, patients will also have tests to reassess the response of your disease to transplant. This may involve a bone marrow biopsy, blood tests, and/or radiology studies depending upon the type of cancer.
* Follow-up will continue for the remainder of the patients life.

Arms:

Interventions: intervention 1: tacrolimus intervention 2: sirolimus intervention 3: fludarabine intervention 4: busulfex
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Given orally just prior to and following stem cell transplant intervention 2: Given orally just prior to and following stem cell transplant intervention 3: Given once daily over 30 minutes for 4 days intervention 4: Given intravenously over 3 hours for 4 days

Protocol document: