Clinical Research Directory

Combination Chemo, Peripheral Stem Cell Transplant, Biological Therapy, Pamidronate and Thalidomide for Multiple Myeloma

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Peripheral stem cell transplantation may allow doctors to give higher doses of chemotherapy drugs and kill more cancer cells. Biological therapies, such as interferon alfa, use different ways to stimulate the immune system and stop cancer cells from growing. Thalidomide may stop the growth of cancer cells by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Pamidronate may help to reduce the side effects of treatment for multiple myeloma. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying combination chemotherapy, peripheral stem cell transplantation, biological therapy, pamidronate, and thalidomide to see how well they work in treating patients with stage I, stage II, or stage III multiple myeloma.

Bortezomib, Thalidomide, and Dexamethasone After Melphalan and Stem Cell Transplant in Treating Patients With Stage I-III Multiple Myeloma

RATIONALE: Bortezomib and thalidomide may stop the growth of multiple myeloma by blocking blood flow to the cancer. Bortezomib may also stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving bortezomib together with thalidomide and dexamethasone may kill any cancer cells that remain after high-dose melphalan and stem cell transplant in patients with multiple myeloma. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects of giving bortezomib together with thalidomide and dexamethasone after melphalan and stem cell transplant and to see how well it works in treating patients with stage I-III multiple myeloma.

Tissue, Blood, and Body Fluid Sample Collection From Patients With Hematologic Cancer

RATIONALE: Collecting and storing samples of tissue, blood, and body fluid from patients with cancer to study in the laboratory may help the study of cancer in the future. PURPOSE: This research study is collecting and storing blood and tissue samples from patients being evaluated for hematologic cancer.

3'-Deoxy-3'-[18F] Fluorothymidine PET Imaging in Patients With Cancer

RATIONALE: Diagnostic procedures, such as 3'-deoxy-3'-\[18F\] fluorothymidine (FLT) PET imaging, may help find and diagnose cancer. It may also help doctors predict a patient's response to treatment and help plan the best treatment. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying FLT PET imaging in patients with cancer.

Registry of Older Patients With Cancer

RATIONALE: Gathering information about older patients with cancer may help the study of cancer in the future. PURPOSE: This research study is gathering information from older patients with cancer into a registry.

68Ga-BCMA PET/CT in Multiple Myeloma

This is a prospective, multicenter diagnostic imaging study designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility of BCMA-targeted positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with multiple myeloma and related plasma cell disorders. The study aims to non-invasively visualize and quantify whole-body BCMA expression and to assess its role in the detection of active disease and disease heterogeneity.

Donor Peripheral Stem Cell Transplant in Treating Patients With Advanced Hematologic Cancer or Other Disorders

RATIONALE: Giving chemotherapy and total-body irradiation before a donor peripheral stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of cancer or abnormal cells. It also helps stop the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. When the healthy stem cells from a donor are infused into the patient they may help the patient's bone marrow make stem cells, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving tacrolimus, methotrexate, cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, and sirolimus before and after transplant may stop this from happening. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well donor peripheral stem cell transplant works in treating patients with advanced hematologic cancer or other disorders.