This phase II trial studies the side effects and how well carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan together with antithymocyte globulin before a stem cell transplant works in treating patients with autoimmune neurologic disease that did not respond to previous therapy. In autoimmune neurological diseases, the patient’s own immune system ‘attacks’ the nervous system which might include the brain/spinal cord and/or the peripheral nerves. Giving high-dose chemotherapy, including carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan, and antithymocyte globulin, before a stem cell transplant weakens the immune system and may help stop the immune system from ‘attacking’ a patient's nervous system. When the patient’s own (autologous) stem cells are infused into the patient they help the bone marrow make red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets so the blood counts can improve.
Additional locations may be listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for NCT00716066.
See trial information on ClinicalTrials.gov for a list of participating sites.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
I. Evaluate the safety of high-dose carmustine, etoposide, Ara-c (cytarabine) and melphalan (BEAM) and Thymoglobulin (antithymocyte globulin) as a high-dose immunosuppressive treatment (HDIT) regimen in patients with severe, refractory neurological autoimmune disease.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. Evaluate disease responses and the duration of response to HDIT and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
II. Determine the efficacy and safety of G-CSF (filgrastim) and prednisone or cyclophosphamide for hematopoietic stem mobilization in patients with neurological autoimmune diseases.
OUTLINE:
Patients receive carmustine intravenously (IV) on day -6, etoposide IV and cytarabine IV twice daily (BID) on days -5 to -2, melphalan IV on day -1, and antithymocyte globulin IV on days -2 and -1. Patients then undergo autologous or syngeneic stem cell transplant on day 0. Patients also receive prednisone orally (PO) once daily (QD) on days 7-21, followed by 2 week taper.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 3 months, 1 year, and then annually thereafter for up to 5 years.
Lead OrganizationFred Hutch/University of Washington/Seattle Children's Cancer Consortium
Principal InvestigatorLeona A. Holmberg