Combination Chemotherapy, Total-Body Irradiation, and Alemtuzumab in Treating Patients Undergoing an Autologous Stem Cell Transplant for Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, or Stage IV Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2004-09-01

Summary

RATIONALE: Giving combination chemotherapy before a peripheral blood stem cell transplant stops the growth of cancer cells by stopping them from dividing or killing them. Giving colony-stimulating factors, such as G-CSF, and certain chemotherapy drugs, helps stem cells move from the bone marrow to the blood so they can be collected and stored. A monoclonal antibody, such as alemtuzumab, is given to kill any remaining cancer cells. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy (total-body irradiation) are given to prepare the bone marrow for the stem cell transplant. The stem cells are then returned to the patient to replace the blood-forming cells that were destroyed by the chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Giving combination chemotherapy, total-body irradiation, and alemtuzumab together with autologous peripheral stem cell transplant may kill more cancer cells.

PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy together with total-body irradiation and alemtuzumab works in treating patients undergoing an autologous stem cell transplant for stage I, stage II, stage III, or stage IV chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

• Phase: Phase 2

Details

• Lead Sponsor: German CLL Study Group
• Treatments: Alemtuzumab; Carmustine; Cyclophosphamide; Cytarabine; Dexamethasone; Etoposide; Fludarabine; Fludarabine phosphate; Melphalan