24 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Bone marrow transplants (BMT) are one form of treatment for disorders of the blood, including leukemia. However, because the procedure is often associated with potentially life-threatening reactions, it is usually reserved for patients with serious illnesses under the age of 60 years old. One serious reaction complicating bone marrow transplants is referred to as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). GVHD is a potentially fatal incompatibility reaction. The reaction is caused by antigens found on the cells of the patient that are not present on the cells of the donor. The antigens are recognized by transplanted white blood cells (lymphocytes). These lymphocytes begin attacking the recipient s cells and tissues and may lead to death. In order to avoid GVHD, researchers have developed a technique using peripheral blood instead of bone marrow that allows transplantation of stem cells and removal of lymphocytes. Stem cells are the cells responsible for returning blood cell production to normal. Lymphocytes are the white blood cells that can cause GVHD. The technique requires two steps. In the first step blood cells are collected from donors who have received doses of a growth factor. The growth factor (granulocyte colony stimulating factor) is designed to increase the production of donor stem cells. In the second step white blood cell lymphocytes are removed from the collected blood, leaving only the stem cells. The main goal of this study is to develop and improve the method of processing cells that are collected after stimulation with growth factor (G-CSF), by removing the white blood cell lymphocytes which can cause graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) while keeping the stem cells necessary for healthy blood cell building. In addition, researchers are interested in studying whether giving G-CSF has an effect on lymphocyte function, which may influence the immune reactions occurring in bone marrow transplantation.
Background: Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation procedures are used for people with sickle cell disease. Researchers want to improve the success and reduce the complications for these procedures. This might allow more people to have a transplant. Objective: To see if a new transplant regime is effective, safe and well tolerated in people with sickle cell disease. Eligibility: Adults at least 18 years old with sickle cell disease and certain complications. A relative who is a half tissue match. Design: Participants will be screened with medical history, physical exam, and blood tests. Recipients will also have: * Heart, lung, and mental health tests * Chest x-rays * Bone marrow taken from the pelvic bone * Eyes and teeth checked Recipients will have a large central line inserted into a vein for up to 6 months. Donors will have their veins tested and have an IV inserted for 1 day or on rare occasions 2 days. Donors will get a drug to activate bone marrow. It will be injected for about 6 days. Donors will have at least 1 five-hour procedure where bone marrow stem cells will be collected. Blood will be taken from a vein in one arm or in rare cases from a groin vein and put through a machine. Some blood will be saved and the rest will be returned. Stem cells will be taken from the saved blood in a lab and frozen until ready to give to the recipient. Recipients will have: * Stems cells collected and frozen * Hygiene lessons * Bone density scans * Low-dose radiation * Drugs for their immune system * Donor cells infused through their central line * Transfusions After about 30 days, recipients will leave the hospital. They must stay near NIH for 3 months after the transplant and have frequent visits. After returning home, they will have 8 visits over 5 years, then be contacted yearly.
People with severe congenital anemias, such as sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia, have been cured with bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The procedure, however, is limited to children younger than the age of 16 because the risks are lower for children than for adults. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of a BMT regimen that, instead of chemotherapy, uses a low dose of radiation, combined with two immunosuppressive drugs. This type BMT procedure is described as nonmyeloablative, meaning that it does not destroy the patient s bone marrow. It is hoped that this type of BMT will be safe for patients normally excluded from the procedure because of their age and other reasons. To participate in this study, patients must be between the ages of 18 and 65 and have a sibling who is a well-matched stem-cell donor. Beyond the standard BMT protocol, study participants will undergo additional procedures. The donor will receive G-CSF by injection for five days; then his or her stem cells will be collected and frozen one month prior to BMT. Approximately one month later, the patient will be given two immune-suppressing drugs, Campath 1-H and Sirolimus, as well as a single low dose of total body irradiation and then the cells from the donor will be infused. Prior to their participation in this study, patients will undergo the following evaluations: a physical exam, blood work, breathing tests, heart-function tests, chest and sinus x-rays, and bone-marrow sampling. ...
This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of stem cell transplantation in which the donors T lymphocytes have undergone "selective depletion." Certain patients with cancers of the blood undergo transplantation of donated stem cells to generate new and normally functioning bone marrow. In addition to producing the new bone marrow, the donor's T-lymphocytes also fight any tumor cells that might have remained in the body. This attack on tumor cells is called a "graft-versus-leukemia" (GVL) effect. However, another type of T-lymphocyte from the donor may cause what is called "graft-versus-host-disease" (GVHD), in which the donor cells recognize the patient's cells as foreign and mount an immune response to reject them. Selective depletion is a technique that was developed to remove the T-lymphocytes that cause harmful GVHD, while keeping those that produce the desirable GVL effect.
This study will investigate the safety and effectiveness of a new stem cell transplant procedure for treating chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) in patients with active infection. CGD is an inherited disorder of neutrophils-a type of infection-fighting white blood cell-that leaves patients vulnerable to life-threatening infections. Standard treatment with antibiotics, and sometimes surgery, is not always successful, and patients with persisting infections have a poor long-term prognosis. Transplantation of donated stem cells (cells produced by the bone marrow that mature into the different blood components-white cells, red cells and platelets) can cure CGD. However, this procedure carries a significant risk of death, particularly in patients with active infection, because it requires completely suppressing the immune system with high-dose chemotherapy and radiation. In addition, lymphocytes-another type of infection-fighting white blood cell-from the donor may cause what is called graft vs. host disease (GvHD), in which the donor cells "see" patient's cells as "foreign" and mount an immune response to reject them. To try to reduce these risks, patients in this study will be given low-dose chemotherapy and no radiation, a regimen that is easier for the body to tolerate and involves a shorter period of complete immune suppression. Also, the donor's lymphocytes will be removed from the rest of the stem cells to be transplanted, reducing the risk of GvHD. Patients with CGD between the ages of age 1 and 55 years old who have an active non-viral infection may be eligible for this study. They will have a medical history, physical examination and blood tests (including testing for adequacy of the genetic match with the donor). A bone marrow sample will be taken to evaluate disease status. This test, done under a local anesthetic, uses a special needle to draw out bone marrow from the hipbone. A central venous catheter (flexible plastic tube placed in a vein) will be put in place before treatment begins. It will be used to draw and transfuse blood, give medications, and infuse the donated stem cells. Several days before the transplant procedure, patients will start low-dose chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide and fludarabine, two commonly used anti-cancer drugs. They will also be given anti-thymocyte globulin to prevent rejection of the donated cells. When this conditioning therapy is completed, the stem cells will be infused through the central line. Patients will be given cyclosporine 4 days before and 3 months after the stem cell transplant to help prevent rejection. About 3 weeks after the transplant, patients will be discharged from the hospital. They will return for follow-up clinic visits weekly and then twice weekly for 3 months. These visits will include a symptom check, physical examination, and blood tests. Blood transfusions will be given if needed. Subsequent visits will be scheduled at 4, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months after the transplant, or more often if required, and then yearly.
This study will investigate the safety and effectiveness of an experimental stem cell transplant procedure for treating mastocytosis-a disease of abnormal mast cell growth. Patients often feel faint, have skin problems, joint and bone pain, low blood counts and enlarged liver, spleen or lymph nodes. As yet, there is no cure for mastocytosis, and treatment is aimed at controlling symptoms. Stem cells are cells produced by the bone marrow that mature into the different blood components-white cells, red cells and platelets. Transplantation of allogeneic (donated) stem cells is a mainstay of therapy for some forms of leukemia. Patients first receive intensive chemotherapy and radiation to rid the body of cancer cells. This "conditioning" is followed by transplantation of donated stem cells to generate new, healthy bone marrow. In addition to producing the new bone marrow, the donated cells also fight any residual tumor cells that might have remained in the body. This is called a "graft-versus-tumor" effect. This study will examine whether a stem cell transplant from a healthy donor can similarly target and destroy mast cells in a "graft-versus-mast cell" effect. Also, to try to reduce the harmful side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, this study will use lower dose chemotherapy and no radiation. Patients with advanced mastocytosis between 10 and 80 years old may be eligible for this study. They will be tested for HLA type matching with a sibling and will undergo a medical history, physical examination and several tests to determine eligibility for the study. Participants will undergo apheresis to collect lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) for immune function tests. In this procedure, blood is drawn through a needle in the arm, similar to donating a unit of blood. The lymphocytes are then separated and collected by a cell separator machine, and the rest of the blood is returned through a needle in the other arm. Patients will also have a central venous line (flexible plastic tube) placed in their upper chest leading to a vein. This line will remain in place throughout the transplant and recovery period and will be used to transfuse blood components, administer medicines, infuse the donated stem cells, and draw blood for tests. Patients will begin conditioning with cyclophosphamide, starting 7 days before the transplant, and fludarabine, starting 5 days before the transplant, to prevent rejection of the donated cells. From 1 to 3 days after the chemotherapy is completed, the stem cells will be transfused through the central venous line. Also, from 4 days before the transplantation until about 3 months after the procedure, patients will receive cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil-drugs that help prevent both rejection of the donated cells and attack by the donor cells on the patient's cells (called graft-versus-host disease). Patients will stay in the hospital about 20 to 30 days after the transplant. After discharge, they will continue to take antibiotics, cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil at home. If the mastocytosis progresses, cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil will be tapered over 4 weeks. If the mastocytosis persists, patients may receive additional transfusions of donor lymphocytes to help kill the mast cells. Patients' progress will be followed weekly or twice weekly for 3 months, then at 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48 and 60 months after transplant, and then twice a year for various tests, treatments and examinations.
This study will investigate the safety and effectiveness of a new stem cell transplant procedure to treat acute or chronic leukemia, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndrome, Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in HIV-infected patients. HIV-infected patients usually are not offered bone marrow transplant treatments because they are at increased risk of dying from the intense chemotherapy and radiation therapy used for the procedure. This study uses a modified procedure, transplanting stem cells instead of bone marrow, designed to be less dangerous for such patients. Patients will also undergo a procedure called gene transfer to try to halt progression of their HIV infection. The procedure in this study differs from standard bone marrow transplantation in three ways: Stem cells will be transplanted instead of bone marrow. (Stem cells, which are produced by the bone marrow, mature into the different blood components-white and red cells and platelets.) The stem cell donor will be given a drug that releases these cells from their bone marrow into the blood stream. The cells will then be collected from the donor by apheresis, a procedure in which whole blood is drawn, the stem cells separated and removed, and the rest of the blood returned to the donor.); The procedure will use lower doses of chemotherapy than the conventional method, and will not use radiation therapy; or A laboratory-manufactured gene designed to obstruct HIV reproduction will be inserted into the stem cells, rendering future cells that develop from resistance to the virus. Prospective patients will be tested for matching with an HIV-negative donor (family member) and will undergo a medical history, physical examination and several tests (e.g., breathing tests, X-rays, etc.) to determine eligibility for the study. Study participants will then undergo apheresis to collect white blood cells called lymphocytes. Stem cells will be collected from the donor. Half the donated cells will have the HIV-resistant gene inserted; the other half will have a "control" gene inserted. Additional stem cells collected a second day will not be manipulated. All the donor cells will be frozen until transplantation. Patients will be given drugs (cyclophosphamide, fludarabine and cyclosporin) to prevent the donated cells from being rejected and to prevent them from damaging the patient's organs. The thawed stem cells will then be infused through a vein. After 30, 60 and 100 days, bone marrow cells and circulating lymphocytes will be checked to see how many are of donor cell origin. If less than 100 percent are of donor origin, more lymphocytes will be transfused. Patients will have physical examinations and blood tests once or twice a week for 2 to 3 months with and then will be followed periodically for at least 5 years.
This study will examine the effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on bone marrow stem cells in healthy volunteers with sickle cell trait and determine if cells collected for transplantation from donors with sickle cell trait require special handling. Stem cells, which the bone marrow produces, are responsible for making all the different kinds of blood cells. They are the cells used in bone marrow, or stem cell, transplantation. The drug G-CSF, which is a naturally occurring hormone, causes stem cells to mobilize-that is, to be released from the bone marrow and enter the blood stream. This drug is given to stem cell donors to increase the amount of cells that can be collected. Stem cell donors for patients with sickle cell disease are often healthy siblings of the patient who have a matching bone marrow type. Some siblings carry the sickle cell trait, however, and, even though they do not have sickle cell disease and their blood and bone marrow are normal, it is not known how their cells will react to G-CSF stimulation. Nor is it known if their stem cells require special methods of removal, processing or storing. Healthy volunteers 18 years or older with sickle cell trait who have no history of sickle cell disease and no known medical problems may be eligible for this study. Participants will have a medical history and physical examination, including blood tests and urinalysis. They will receive injections of G-CSF under the skin once a day for 5 days. On the fifth day, stem cells will be collected through leukapheresis. In this procedure, whole blood is drawn from an arm vein, similar to donating whole blood. The blood then circulates through a cell separator machine, the stem cells are removed, and the rest of the blood is transfused back to the donor through a vein in the other arm. The information gained from this study will be used to ensure the safety of stem cell donors with sickle cell trait and to better prepare stem cells for transplantation in sickle cell patients.
Cancers of the blood, sometimes referred to as hematologic malignancies, are disorders of bone marrow cells that lead to the failure of the normal function of bone marrow and the uncontrolled growth of cancerous cells in the bone marrow. These cancerous cells can spill over into the bloodstream and affect other organs causing widespread symptoms. The disease is life threatening because it blocks the normal function of the marrow, which is to produce red cells (preventing anemia), white cells (preventing infection), and platelets (preventing progression). Bone marrow transplants are a potential form of therapy for patients with hematologic malignancies. However, BMT is a complicated procedure and can be associated with dangerous side effects. In this study researchers are attempting to find ways to reduce the complications of BMT, so that it would be possible to use it more safely and can be offered more patients. In order to do this, researchers are developing new techniques to make BMT safer. It requires making small changes to the standard procedure, which may improve the outcome. The experimental procedures researchers are evaluating are: 1. \<TAB\>T-cell depleted peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) transplantation 2. \<TAB\> Cyclosporine given immediately after the transplant 3. \<TAB\>Add-back of donor lymphocytes Patients undergoing these experimental techniques must be monitored closely to see if any benefit or harmful effects will occur. Information gathered from this study can be used to develop further research studies and potential new therapies for hematologic malignancies.
This study will investigate the safety and effectiveness of a modified stem cell transplant procedure for treating chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) in patients with active infection. CGD is an inherited disorder of neutrophils-a type of infection-fighting white blood cell-that leaves patients vulnerable to life-threatening infections. Transplantation of donated stem cells (cells produced by the bone marrow that mature into the different blood components-white cells, red cells and platelets) can cure CGD. However, this procedure carries a significant risk of death, particularly in patients with active infection, because it requires completely suppressing the immune system with high-dose chemotherapy and radiation. In addition, lymphocytes-another type of infection-fighting white blood cell-from the donor may cause what is called graft vs. host disease (GvHD), in which the donor cells recognize the patient's cells as foreign and mount an immune response to destroy them. To try to reduce these risks, patients in this study will be given low-dose chemotherapy and no radiation, a regimen that is easier for the body to tolerate and involves a shorter period of complete immune suppression. Also, the donor's lymphocytes will be removed from the rest of the stem cells to be transplanted, reducing the risk of GvHD. Patients with CGD between the ages of age 1 and 55 years old who do not have an active infection and who have a family member that is a well matched donor may be eligible for this study. Candidates will have a medical history, physical examination and blood tests, lung and heart function tests, X-rays of the chest and sinuses, and dental and eye examinations. A bone marrow sample may be taken to evaluate disease status. This test, done under a local anesthetic, uses a special needle to draw bone marrow from the hipbone. Stem cells will be collected from both the patient and donor. To do this, the hormone G-CSF will be injected under the skin for several days to increase stem cell production. Then, the stem cells will be collected by apheresis. In this procedure the blood is drawn through a needle placed in one arm, pumped into a machine where the desired cells are separated out and removed, and then the rest of the blood is returned through a needle in the other arm. A large plastic tube (central venous line) is placed into a major vein. It can stay in the body and be used the entire treatment period to deliver the donated stem cells, give chemotherapy or other medications, including antibiotics and blood transfusions, if needed, and withdraw blood samples. Several days before the transplant procedure, patients will start low-dose chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide and fludarabine, two commonly used anti-cancer drugs. They will also be given anti-thymocyte globulin to prevent rejection of the donated cells. When this conditioning therapy is completed, the stem cells will be infused through the central line. Patients will be given cyclosporine by mouth or by vein from 4 days before until 3 months after the stem cell transplant to help prevent rejection. The average hospital stay for stem cell transplant is 30 days. After discharge, patients will return for follow-up clinic visits weekly or twice weekly for 4 months. These visits will include a symptom check, physical examination, and blood tests. Blood transfusions will be given if needed. Subsequent visits will be scheduled at 4, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months after the transplant or more often if required, and then yearly.
Many patients with hematological malignancies potentially curable by bone marrow transplantation are not considered for transplantation because an HLA identical family or unrelated donor is unavailable. For these patients the only curative option is a transplant from a partially matched family donor. Such transplants are feasible but are less successful than matched sibling donor transplants. The main problems with mismatched transplants are graft rejection, graft-vs-host disease, and regimen-related mortality. This restricts the use of mismatched transplants to patients less than 45 years at high risk of dying from the hematological malignancy. This protocol evaluates a new preparative regimen designed to ensure stem cell engraftment by increased immunosuppression, followed by a G-CSF mobilized T cell depleted, stem cell rich, peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) transplant from a mismatched related donor in patients with high risk hematological malignancies. This phase I study evaluates engraftment and GVHD following T cell depleted, HLA-mismatched PBPC transplants. Stopping rules will be used to make modifications to the protocol in the event of graft failure. The end points of the study are graft take, acute and chronic GVHD, leukemic relapse, transplant-related mortality, death and leukemia-free survival. Patients will be followed up for 5 years. It is planned to treat up to 35 patients aged between 10 and 45 years.
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.
This study will examine the effects of repeated apheresis procedures on bone density and calcium balance. Apheresis is a procedure for collecting large numbers of a specific blood component, such as white cells (leukapheresis) or platelets (plateletpheresis). For the procedure, whole blood is collected through a needle in an arm vein and is directed through a machine that separates it into its components by spinning. The desired cells are removed and the rest of the blood is returned to the donor, either through the same needle or through a needle in the other arm. A blood thinning medicine called citrate is added to the cell-separating machine. Citrate reduces the ionized calcium levels in the blood, which prevents the blood from clotting. When the blood is returned to the donor, the donor also receives the citrate. This lowers the donor's ionized calcium levels which may irritate nerve and muscle cells, causing tingling around the mouth, hands, and feet during the procedure. The reduced ionized calcium levels result in increased parathyroid hormone levels in the donor, can effect bone calcium stores. In addition, some of the citrate that is returned to the donor is excreted in the urine along with calcium, which causes further loss of calcium from the body. It is not known if the calcium loss during apheresis in people who undergo this procedure repeatedly has any long-term effects on body calcium balance and bone calcium stores. This study will measure bone density and calcium balance in long-term platelet and white cell donors and compare the findings with those of whole blood donors, who do not receive citrate. Healthy people between 18 and 80 years of age who weigh between 110 and 300 pounds, do not have a metal prosthesis, and are not pregnant may be eligible for this study. Participants undergo the following procedures: Whole blood donors * Blood sample collection 2 weeks before blood donation. * I removed undergo standard whole blood donation * Urine sample collection. * DEXA scan to assess bone density by measuring bone calcium stores. For this procedure, the subject lies still on a table while the spine, hip, and whole body are scanned using a small amount of radiation. The forearm is also scanned while the subject is seated. The scan may be repeated after 2 years. Plateletpheresis and leukapheresis donors * Standard platelet or white cell donation. * Blood sample collections immediately prior to and after donation, and on the first, fourth, and fourteenth days after donation. * Urine sample collections at the beginning and at the end of the apheresis procedure and on the first, fourth, and fourteenth days after the donation. * DEXA scan at the beginning of the study (no earlier than 2 weeks after their latest apheresis donation). The scan may be repeated after 2 years. * Some apheresis donors may be asked to have a second procedure in which they take calcium according to standard guidelines for plateletpheresis and leukapheresis. During the second procedure, platelet donors will take oral calcium tablets before starting plateletpheresis. White cell donors will receive calcium intravenously (through a vein) during the second leukapheresis. For this second procedure, the donors provide additional blood and urine samples as described above.
The purpose of this prospective, randomized, cross-over, multi-center study is to evaluate the performance of the Spectra Optia Apheresis System's CMNC Collection Procedure, compared to the COBE Spectra Apheresis System's MNC Procedure in mobilized healthy donors. Subject safety will be evaluated beginning with mobilization, throughout the collection procedure and for the day following the last collection.
Objectives: * Determine the corrected count increment of autologous transfused platelets that had been stored by cryopreservation with ThromboSol. * Determine the ability of autologous platelets that had been stored by cryopreservation with ThromboSol to correct thrombocytopenia.
A longitudinal, randomized, controlled, single-center Phase IV clinical trial will be performed to assess changes in bone mineral density (BMD) among voluntary apheresis blood donors. The primary outcome measure will be clinically significant decline in BMD at the lumbar spine assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA).
The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if treating stem cell donors with filgrastim (G-CSF) and plerixafor (Mozobil®) can cause them to produce a higher number of blood stem cells than filgrastim by itself. Researchers also want to learn if giving both of these drugs helps donors produce enough stem cells so that only 1 apheresis procedure needs to be performed. Researchers will study if using both drugs lowers the risk of the stem cell transplant recipients developing severe forms graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). GVHD is a condition in which transplanted tissue (such as blood stem cells) attacks the tissue of the recipient's body. The safety and effectiveness of this drug combination will also be studied. Filgrastim and plerixafor are both designed to help move or "mobilize" the stem cells from the bone marrow to the blood.
The purpose of this protocol is to characterize the performance of CaridianBCT's Spectra Optia Apheresis System, when used to collect mononuclear cells (MNCs) and cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34) positive cells from healthy nonmobilized blood donors and healthy G-CSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor) mobilized blood donors, respectively.
This study will investigate whether people who donate granulocytes (a type of white blood cell) by leukapheresis are at increased risk of developing cataracts (changes in the lens of the eye that can impair vision). Apheresis is a method of collecting large numbers of white blood cells. The procedure is similar to donating whole blood, but the collected blood is circulated through a cell separator machine, the white cells are extracted, and the rest of the blood is returned to the donor. Before the procedure, donors are given a steroid called dexamethasone. This drug temporarily increases the number of granulocytes circulating in the blood, thus allowing twice as many of these cells to be collected. Recently, one blood collection center reported greater numbers of cataracts in a small number of granulocyte donors who had received repeated doses of steroids for granulocyte mobilization. The donors were unaware that they had the cataracts, which were small and did not affect their vision. Although people who take high doses of steroids over a long period time are known to have an increased risk of cataracts, steroids given infrequently (and in the doses used for granulocyte donation) have not been associated with cataracts. This study will examine the eyes of granulocyte donors and of platelet donors. Platelets-blood components necessary for clotting-are also collected by pheresis, but donors are not given steroids before the procedure. The examination findings will be compared to see if there is a difference in the risk of cataract formation in the two groups. People 18 years of age and older who have donated granulocytes or platelets at the NIH Department of Transfusion Medicine four times or more since 1984 may be eligible for this study. Participants will undergo the following procedures: * Detailed medical history, including allergies, corticosteroid use, diabetes mellitus, and asthma * Detailed eye history, including cataracts, glaucoma, other eye diseases and infections, eye trauma, and corrective lenses * Detailed history of sun exposure * Eye examination, including measurement of visual acuity (eye chart test) and eye pressure, examination of the lens and retina. * Photographs of the eye using a special camera
Background: The mainstay of therapy for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients remains systemic chemotherapy. Although partial remissions of up to 60% are obtained with conventional regimens, multiple myeloma is essentially an incurable disease with a median survival of approximately 30 months. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) results in a high percentage of complete remissions, but it can be associated with significant treatment-related mortality, which has been primarily attributed to conventional myeloablative transplant regimens. Recent clinical studies have shown that highly immunosuppressive yet non-myeloablative doses of fludarabine-based chemotherapy can result in alloengraftment. Even with a reduction in treatment related mortality, success with allogeneic SCT is limited by a significant risk of relapse. Donor immunization with myeloma Id in the setting of a non-myeloablative allogeneic SCT may represent a novel strategy for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Objectives: Primary Objectives: To induce cellular and humoral immunity in allogeneic stem cell donors and recipients against the unique idiotype expressed by the recipient's myeloma. To determine whether antigen-specific immunity, induced in the stem cell donor, can be passively transferred to the allogeneic SCT recipient in the setting of a non-myeloablative conditioning regimen. Secondary Objectives: To evaluate the effect of the Fludarabine-(etoposide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, cyclophosphamide) EPOCH regimen on host T cell depletion and myeloid depletion prior to allogeneic SCT. To determine the efficacy of a novel conventional chemotherapy regimen (Fludarabine-EPOCH) in the setting multiple myeloma. To determine the treatment-related morbidity and mortality of allogeneic stem cell transplantation using a non-myeloablative conditioning regimen in multiple myeloma. To determine if the re-vaccination of allogeneic stem cell donors with the unique idiotype expressed by the recipient's myeloma will enhance cellular and humoral immunity to patient specific-idiotype prior to lymphocyte donation for the treatment of patients with recurrent or progressive disease after transplantation. Eligibility: Patients 18-75 years of age with Immunoglobulin G (IgG) or Immunoglobulin A (IgA) multiple myeloma. Patients must have achieved at least a partial remission following initial conventional chemotherapy regimen or after autologous stem cell transplantation. Consenting first degree relative matched at 6/6 or 5/6 human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antigens. Design: Phase 2 trial using a non-myeloablative conditioning regimen to reduce treatment-related toxicity. Recipient will undergo a plasmapheresis to obtain starting material for the isolation of idiotype protein. Donors would be immunized with an Id vaccine prepared from the patient. Prior to transplantation patients would receive a conventional chemotherapy regimen which contains agents active in myeloma and is T cell depleting. The allogeneic SCT would be performed with a conditioning regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine. The stem cell source would be blood mobilized with filgrastim. Recipients will be immunized with the Id vaccine following transplantation.
This protocol is designed to provide a mechanism for the Department of Transfusion Medicine, Clinical Center to collect and process blood components from paid, healthy volunteer donors for distribution to NIH intramural investigators and FDA researchers for in vitro laboratory use. Donors meeting research donor eligibility criteria will be recruited to donate blood and blood components by standard phlebotomy and apheresis techniques. The investigational nature of the studies in which their blood will be used, and the risks and discomforts of the donation process will be carefully explained to the donors, and a signed informed consent document will be obtained. Donors will be compensated according to an established schedule based on the duration and discomfort of the donation. NIH and FDA investigators requesting blood components for research use will be required to submit an electronic (Web-based) memo of request, briefly describing the nature of the research, and providing assurance that samples provided through this protocol will be used solely for in vitro and not for in vivo research. This protocol also provides a detailed schema for careful and frequent laboratory safety monitoring of repeat research apheresis donors. Blood components for research use will be distributed with a unique product number, and the DTM principal and associate investigators will serve as the custodians of the code that links the product with a donor s identity. The nature of the in vitro studies in which the blood and components collected in this study will be used is not the subject of this protocol, and is not possible to describe, since it involves basic investigative efforts in greater than 170 different NIH and FDA laboratories. The intent of this protocol is not to approve the research itself, but to provide adequate and complete informed consent for the donor, and to assure that the education, counseling, and protection of the study subjects (research blood donors) is performed in accordance with IRB, OHSR, OPRR and other applicable Federal regulatory standards...
This is an open label, interventional, non-randomized, phase II trial of TCR alpha/beta and CD19-depeleted allogeneic HCT in pediatric patients with hematologic disease.
This study will examine the feasibility of giving cell growth stimulants to granulocyte donors the same day of donation rather than the day before. People who donate granulocytes (infection-fighting white blood cells) for transfusion to patients with severe white cell deficiencies are often given a steroid called dexamethasone and a growth factor called G-CSF the day before donation. These drugs stimulate white cell production, allowing many more cells to be collected than would otherwise be possible. A single dose of G-CSF given to healthy people increases their white cells counts by four to five times the next day. It would be preferable, however, to give G-CSF the same day of donation, if possible. Therefore, this study will measure white cell counts in healthy people at various intervals after being injected with G-CSF alone and G-CSF with dexamethasone. The study will compare the following: granulocyte counts at seven different intervals after injection of the drug or drugs; the effects of G-CSF injected through a vein or under the skin; and the effects of giving G-CSF alone or with dexamethasone. Each participant will undergo four procedures, each four weeks apart as follows: donate a small blood sample; receive an injection of G-CSF under the skin or into a vein; and take either two dexamethasone tablets or two placebo tablets. Small blood samples will then be drawn 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 24 hours after the drugs are given. Participants will answer questions about how they feel before the drugs are given and at the various intervals after taking the drugs.