Cyclophosphamide Treatment Options in Houston, TX

The purpose of this research study is to find out what effects (good and bad) docetaxel/cyclophosphamide (brand names: Taxotere and Cytoxan, or TC) plus trastuzumab (brand name: Herceptin, or H) has HER2+ breast cancer. Read Less

The goal of this clinical research is to learn if RAD001 given in combination with chemotherapy will turn off the signaling pathway (a chain of information that tells cancer cells to grow quickly) and make the chemotherapies given on this study more effective. Primary Objective · To determine if the addition of an mTOR inhibitor to standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with triple receptor-negative breast cancer causes molecular changes (inhibition/activation) of the PI3K/PTEN/AKT pathway. Secondary Objectives * To evaluate pathologic complete response (pCR) rates for each treatment group. * To evaluate the relationship between pCR and the molecular changes (inhibition/activation) of the PI13K/PTEN/AKT pathway in each treatment group. * To evaluate overall response rates (ORR) for each treatment group. * To assess the toxicity of both regimens and to evaluate the relationship of toxicities with PI3K/PTEN/AKT pathway status. Read Less

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if cyclophosphamide given after busulfan and fludarabine can help to prevent graft versus host disease (GVHD - a condition in which transplanted tissue attacks the body into which it is transplanted) in patients receiving a stem cell transplant. The safety of this drug combination will also be studied. Read Less

Patients are being asked to participate in this study because they have a cancer in their blood (such as leukemia or lymphoma) or myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative (pre-leukemia). We suggest a treatment that might help them live longer without disease than other treatment plans would. This treatment is known as a stem cell transplant. We believe this may help the patient as it allows us to give much stronger doses of drugs and radiation to kill the diseased cells than we could give without the transplant. We also think that the healthy cells may help fight any diseased cells left after the transplant. Stem Cells are special "mother" cells that are found in the bone marrow (the spongy tissue inside bones), although some are also found in the bloodstream (peripheral blood). As they grow, they become either white blood cells which fight infection, red blood cells which carry oxygen and remove waste products from the organs and tissues or platelets, which enable the blood to clot. For the transplant to take place, we will collect these stem cells from a "donor" (a person who agrees to donate these cells) and give them to the patient. The patient has a type of blood cell cancer or other blood problem that is very hard to cure with standard treatments and they will receive a stem cell transplant (SCT). If they have a brother or sister that is a perfect match and agrees to donate, the stem cells will come from him/her. Before the transplant, two very strong drugs plus total body irradiation will be given to the patient (pre-conditioning). This treatment will kill most of the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow. We will then give the patient the healthy stem cells. Once these healthy stem cells are in the bloodstream they will move to the bone marrow (graft) and begin producing blood cells that will eventually mature into healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Also, we will ask permission to draw blood from the patient so that we can measure the number of certain blood cells called T regulatory cells. T regulatory cells are special immune cells that can control or regulate the body's immune response. We want to determine whether T regulatory cells are important participants in graft versus host disease (GVHD), infection and relapse. In GVHD, certain cells from the donated marrow or blood (the graft) attack the body of the transplant patient (the host). GVHD can affect many different parts of the body. The skin, eyes, stomach and intestines are affected most often. GVHD can range from mild to life-threatening. We do not know whether T regulatory cells can modify these conditions. We want to measure these T regulatory cells and learn if these cells do influence these conditions. If we learn that T regulatory cells do affect these conditions, then it may be possible to modify these cells for the benefit of transplant patients. Read Less

Patients have a type of blood cell disorder that is very hard to cure. We are now suggesting a treatment that might help patients live longer without disease than other treatment plans would. This treatment is known as a stem cell transplant. We believe this may help patients as it allows us to give much stronger doses of drugs and radiation to kill the diseased cells than we could give without the transplant. We also think that the healthy cells may help fight any diseased cells left after the transplant. Stem Cells are special "mother" cells that are found in the bone marrow (the spongy tissue inside bones), although some are also found in the bloodstream (peripheral blood). As they grow, they become either white blood cells which fight infection, red blood cells which carry oxygen and remove waste products from the organs and tissues or platelets, which enable the blood to clot. For the transplant to take place, we will collect these stem cells from a "donor" (a person who agrees to donate these cells) and give them to recipient. Patients do not have a sibling that is a perfect match, so the stem cells will come from a donor who is the best match available. This person may be a close relative or an unrelated person whose stem cells best "matches" the patients, and who agrees to donate stem cells. Before the transplant, two very strong drugs plus total body irradiation will be given to the patient (pre-conditioning). This treatment will kill most of the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow. We will then give the patient the healthy stem cells. Once these healthy stem cells are in the bloodstream they will move to the bone marrow (graft) and begin producing blood cells that will eventually mature into healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. This research study will also use CAMPATH-1H as a pre-treatment. CAMPATH-1H is an antibody against certain types of blood cells. CAMPATH-1H is important because it stays active in the body for a long time after infusion, which means it may work longer at preventing GvHD symptoms. The stem cell transplant described above is considered to be "standard" treatment. We would like to collect additional blood as described below in order to evaluate how the immune system is recovering. We are asking permission to draw blood from the patient so that we can measure the number of certain blood cells called T regulatory cells. T regulatory cells are special immune cells that can control or regulate the body's immune response. We want to determine whether T regulatory cells are important participants in graft versus host disease (GVHD), infection and relapse. In GVHD, certain cells from the donated marrow or blood (the graft) attack the body of the transplant patient (the host). GVHD can affect many different parts of the body. The skin, eyes, stomach and intestines are affected most often. GVHD can range from mild to life-threatening. We do not know whether T regulatory cells can modify these conditions. We want to measure these T regulatory cells and learn if these cells do influence these conditions. If we learn that T regulatory cells do affect these conditions, then it may be possible to modify these cells for the benefit of transplant patients. Read Less

Patients have been diagnosed with severe Aplastic Anemia that have not responded to treatment with immunosuppressive therapy (drugs that suppress the immune system, for example Steroids). The immune system is the system in the body that helps protect the body and fights bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Research studies have shown that patients with Aplastic Anemia have improved survival (may live longer) after receiving a HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) identical sibling (brother and sister) stem cell transplants. Patients who do not have matched siblings can undergo immunosuppressive therapy, which has also shown to improve outcome. Unfortunately patients who do not respond to immunosuppressive therapy usually die. The best chance of survival for these patients is an HLA matched unrelated or mismatched related stem cell transplant as described below. Stem cells are created in the bone marrow. They mature into different types of blood cells that people need including red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body, white blood cells which help fight infections, and platelets which help the blood to clot and prevent bleeding. For a matched unrelated stem cell transplant, stem cells are collected from a person (donor) who is not related to the patient but who has the same type of stem cells. For a mismatched related stem cell transplant, stem cells are collected from a donor who is related to the patient and whose stem cells are almost the same as those of the patient but not exactly. The patient then receives high dose chemotherapy. This chemotherapy kills the stem cells in the patient's bone marrow. Stem cells that have been collected from the donor are then given to the patient to replace the stem cells that have been killed. The major problems associated with these types of stem cell transplants are graft rejection (where the patient's immune system rejects the donor stem cells) and severe graft versus host disease (GVHD), where the donors stem cell reacts against the patient's tissues in the body. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving more than one drug may kill more cancer cells. It is not yet known which combination chemotherapy regimen is more effective in treating childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is comparing different combination chemotherapy regimens to see how well they work in treating children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Read Less

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if using a combination of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab, with sargramostim (GM-CSF) can help to control previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The safety of this combination will also be studied. This study will evaluate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and its relationship to response. Read Less

The proposed trial provides a unique opportunity in that it combines genomic, proteomic, and pharmacogenomic assessments in patients receiving the most commonly used chemotherapies for advanced breast cancer. To date no other trial has analyzed gene and protein expression at the same time points in the same patient, combined with clinical outcome. Similar to previous attempts to predict response based on expression of a single gene or protein, the researchers expect that neither genomic or proteomic profiling alone will be sufficient to optimize therapy. Rather, the researchers expect an iterative process that combines information gleaned from both platforms, modified to avoid toxicity based on pharmacogenomics. Read Less

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if the combination of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rituximab, and bevacizumab is effective in treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia in patients who have already been treated with chemotherapy. The safety of this treatment will also be studied. Read Less

Primary Objective: 1. To study ex-vivo purging of autologous hematopoietic stem cells that will be used to support high-dose chemotherapy in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Major endpoints are neutrophil engraftment and survival. Secondary Objectives: 1. To evaluate the toxicity of ex-vivo purged autologous cells when used to support high-dose chemotherapy. 2. To evaluate the rate and duration of cytogenetic remissions achieved with this strategy. 3. To determine the time to platelet recovery to 20,000/mm3. 4. To determine the one-year survival rate. Read Less

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if intensive chemotherapy, combined with imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, STI571) given for 8 courses over 6 months, followed by maintenance imatinib mesylate plus chemotherapy for 2 years, followed by imatinib mesylate indefinitely can improve Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The safety of this treatment will also be studied. Read Less