Donor Stem Cell Transplant After Busulfan, Fludarabine, and Antithymocyte Globulin in Treating Patients With Hematologic Cancer or Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Overview

RATIONALE: Giving low doses of chemotherapy and antithymocyte globulin before a donor stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of cancer and abnormal cells. It may also stop the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. The donated stem cells may replace the patient's immune cells and help destroy any remaining cancer and abnormal cells (graft-versus-tumor effect). PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well a donor stem cell transplant works after busulfan, fludarabine, and antithymocyte globulin in treating patients with hematologic cancer or myelodysplastic syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: * To evaluate the efficacy of HLA-haploidentical familial donor hematopoietic cell transplantation with a reduced-intensity conditioning regimen of busulfan, fludarabine phosphate, and anti-thymocyte globulin in patients with hematologic malignancies or myelodysplastic syndromes. OUTLINE: Before receiving the reduced-intensity conditioning regimen, patients receive one dose of intrathecal (IT) methotrexate, then leucovorin calcium IV or orally 4 hours after methotrexate and every 6 hours for a total of 8 doses. * Reduced-intensity conditioning regimen: Patients receive busulfan IV over 6 hours on days -7 and -6, fludarabine phosphate IV over 30 minutes on days -7 to -2, anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) IV over 4 hours on days -4 to -1, and methylprednisolone IV over 30 minutes on days -4 to -1. * HLA-haploidentical familial donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT): Patients undergo allogeneic HSCT over 1 hour on days 0 and 1. * Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis: Patients receive cyclosporine IV\* over 2-4 hours every 12 hours on days -1 to 30 followed by a taper until day 60 and methotrexate IV on days 2, 4 , 7, and 12. NOTE: \*Cyclosporine can be given orally once oral medication can be tolerated * CNS prophylaxis: When blood counts recover, patients with acute leukemia or chronic myelogenous leukemia in blastic crisis resume IT methotrexate once every 2 weeks for a total of 4 doses (including the dose given before the conditioning regimen) and leucovorin calcium IV or orally 4 hours after (each dose of methotrexate) and every 6 hours for a total of 8 doses. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed periodically for up to 3 years.