Conditions: Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Leukemia Multiple Myeloma Acute Myeloid Leukemia Hodgkin Lymphoma Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Keywords: total body irradiation Allogeneic Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation thymoglobulin
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 42
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
One of two different doses of thymoglobulin will allow bone marrow engraftment with minimal Graft-versus-Host Disease and allow adequate immune response to allow the transplanted stem cells to replace the tumor cells.

Detailed description:
This randomized phase II trial studies how well giving low dose total-body irradiation (TBI) with anti-thymocyte globulin followed by donor peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT) works in treating patients with hematologic malignancies. Giving reduced intensity total-body irradiation and anti-thymocyte globulin before a donor peripheral blood stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of cancer cells. It may also stop the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. When the healthy stem cells from a donor are infused into the patient they may help the patient's bone marrow make stem cells, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving total-body irradiation together with antithymocyte globulin before transplant may stop this from happening.

Arms:
arm 1: (Rabbit-ATG;Thymoglobulin,Genzyme) ATG 5.1 mg/kg in three divided doses (1.7 mg/kg/d) given over three days (day -9 to -7) followed by 450 cGy TBI and tacrolimus plus MMF GVHD prophylaxis. Patients receive lower dose anti-thymocyte globulin IV on days -9 to -7. Patients undergo total-body radiation (TBI) twice daily (BID) on day -1 and once daily (QD) on day 0. Patients then undergo peripheral blood stem cells or bone marrow transplant on day 0. GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST DISEASE PROPHYLAXIS: patients receive tacrolimus orally (PO) on days -2 to 90-120 with taper for 2 months, and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) PO BID on days 0-30. arm 2: (Rabbit-ATG;Thymoglobulin,Genzyme) ATG 7.5 mg/kg in three divided doses (2.5 mg/kg/d) given over three days (day -9 to -7) followed by 450 cGy TBI and tacrolimus plus MMF GVHD prophylaxis. Patients receive higher dose anti-thymocyte globulin intravenously (IV) on days -9 to -7. Patients undergo total-body radiation (TBI) twice daily (BID) on day -1 and once daily (QD) on day 0. Patients then undergo peripheral blood stem cells or bone marrow transplant on day 0. GRAFT-VERSUS-HOST DISEASE PROPHYLAXIS: patients receive tacrolimus orally (PO) on days -2 to 90-120 with taper for 2 months, and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) PO BID on days 0-30.

Interventions: intervention 1: Thymoglobulin intervention 2: Total-Body Irradiation intervention 3: Allogeneic PBSCT or BMT intervention 4: Tacrolimus intervention 5: Mycophenolate Mofetil
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Patients eligible for participation in this study will be randomized between receiving rabbit ATG for 3 days. Thymoglobulin will be administered according to VCU BMT standard of care starting day -9 and continued daily through day -7. intervention 2: Undergo TBI intervention 3: Undergo allogeneic PBSCT or BMT intervention 4: Given PO intervention 5: Given PO

Protocol document: