Conditions: Leukemia Lymphoma
Keywords: B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia stage I small lymphocytic lymphoma stage II small lymphocytic lymphoma stage III small lymphocytic lymphoma stage IV small lymphocytic lymphoma stage I chronic lymphocytic leukemia stage II chronic lymphocytic leukemia stage III chronic lymphocytic leukemia stage IV chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Allocation: NA | Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Enrollment: 49
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
RATIONALE: Pentostatin may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cyclophosphamide, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Giving pentostatin together with cyclophosphamide and rituximab may kill more cancer cells.

PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects and how well giving pentostatin together with cyclophosphamide and rituximab works in treating patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Detailed description:
OBJECTIVES:

* To determine the frequency of response in patients with previously untreated, intermediate- or high-risk B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) treated with pentostatin, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab.
* To characterize the toxicity of this regimen in these patients.

OUTLINE: Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV followed by pentostatin IV on day 1 in course 1. Beginning in course 2 and in all subsequent courses, patients receive cyclophosphamide IV on day 1, pentostatin IV on day 1, and rituximab IV on day 1 or on days 1 and 2. Treatment repeats every 3 weeks for up to 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed at least every 3 months for 1 year.

Arms:
arm 1: Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV followed by pentostatin IV on day 1 in course 1. Beginning in course 2 and in all subsequent courses, patients receive cyclophosphamide IV on day 1, pentostatin IV on day 1, and rituximab IV on day 1 or on days 1 and 2. Treatment repeats every 3 weeks for up to 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Interventions: intervention 1: rituximab intervention 2: cyclophosphamide intervention 3: pentostatin
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: None intervention 2: None intervention 3: None

Protocol document: