High-Dose Chemotherapy Given Together With Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplant in Treating Patients With Intestinal T-Cell Lymphoma

Overview

RATIONALE: Giving chemotherapy before a peripheral blood stem cell transplant stops the growth of cancer cells by stopping them from dividing or by killing them. After treatment, stem cells are collected from the patient's blood and stored. More chemotherapy is 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. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying high-dose chemotherapy given together with peripheral blood stem cell transplant in treating patients with intestinal T-cell lymphoma.

OBJECTIVES: Primary * To assess the efficacy and toxicity of intensive high-dose chemotherapy (alternating I'VE regimen and intermediate-dose methotrexate) followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for treatment of patients with intestinal T-cell lymphoma. Secondary * To assess the toxicity of the regimen in a large population of these patients. * To provide a coordinated approach to the treatment of these patients. * To register patients unfit for the protocol chemotherapy into the pathological part of the study. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study * Chemotherapy: Patients receive CHOP chemotherapy comprising cyclophosphamide IV over 15 minutes, doxorubicin hydrochloride IV, and vincristine IV on day 1. Patients also receive oral prednisolone on days 1-5. After recovering from CHOP chemotherapy, patients receive I'VE chemotherapy comprising epirubicin hydrochloride IV on day 1 and etoposide IV over 2 hours and ifosfamide IV continuously on days 21-23. Patients also receive methotrexate IV over 24 hours on day 21. Treatment repeats every 28 days for 3 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. * Consolidation therapy: On day 77, stem cells are collected from patients if the marrow is clear of disease. After completion of chemotherapy, patients in complete remission receive carmustine IV on day 105, cytarabine IV and etoposide IV on days 106-109, and melphalan IV on day 110. These patients undergo autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation on day 112. Prior to study treatment, patients undergo a biopsy of the gut to confirm diagnosis and a blood sample is taken. Both blood and tissue samples may be used for further studies. After recovery from treatment, patients are followed monthly for 4 months, then bimonthly for 1 year, every 3 months for 1 year, every 4 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 1 year, and then annually thereafter. Peer Reviewed and Funded or Endorsed by Cancer Research UK.