Previously Treated Myelodysplastic Syndrome

This phase II trial studies methylprednisolone, horse anti-thymocyte globulin, cyclosporine, filgrastim, and/or pegfilgrastim or pegfilgrastim biosimilar in treating patients with aplastic anemia or low or intermediate-risk myelodysplastic syndrome. Horse anti-thymocyte globulin is made from horse blood and targets immune cells known as T-lymphocytes. Since T-lymphocytes are believed to be involved in causing low blood counts in aplastic anemia and in some cases of myelodysplastic syndromes, killing these cells may help treat the disease. Methylprednisolone and cyclosporine work to suppress immune cells called lymphocytes. This may help to improve low blood counts in aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. Filgrastim and pegfilgrastim are designed to cause white blood cells to grow. This may help to fight infections and help improve the white blood cell count. Giving methylprednisolone and horse anti-thymocyte globulin together with cyclosporine, filgrastim, and/or pegfilgrastim may be an effective treatment for patients with aplastic anemia or myelodysplastic syndrome.

This phase I trial studies the best dose and side effects of the VSV-hIFNβ-NIS vaccine with or without cyclophosphamide and combinations of ipilimumab, nivolumab, and cemiplimab in treating patients with multiple myeloma, acute myeloid leukemia or lymphoma that has come back after a period of improvement (relapsed) or that does not respond to treatment (refractory). VSV-IFNβ-NIS is a modified version of the vesicular stomatitis virus (also called VSV). This virus can cause infection and when it does it typically infects pigs, cattle, or horses but not humans. The VSV used in this study has been altered by having two extra genes (pieces of DNA) added. The first gene makes a protein called NIS that is inserted into the VSV. NIS is normally found in the thyroid gland (a small gland in the neck) and helps the body concentrate iodine. Having this additional gene will make it possible to track where the virus goes in the body (which organs). The second addition is a gene for human interferon beta (β) or hIFNβ. Interferon is a natural anti-viral protein, intended to protect normal healthy cells from becoming infected with the virus. VSV is very sensitive to the effect of interferon. Many tumor cells have lost the capacity to either produce or respond to interferon. Thus, interferon production by tumor cells infected with VSV-IFNβ-NIS will protect normal cells but not the tumor cells. The VSV with these two extra pieces is referred to as VSV-IFNβ-NIS. Cyclophosphamide is in a class of medications called alkylating agents. It works by damaging the cell's DNA and may kill cancer cells. It may also lower the body's immune response. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as ipilimumab, nivolumab, and cemiplimab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving VSV-IFNβ-NIS with or without cyclophosphamide and combinations of ipilimumab, nivolumab, and cemiplimab may be safe and effective in treating patients with recurrent peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

This phase II clinical trial studies how well personalized natural killer (NK) cell therapy works after chemotherapy and umbilical cord blood transplant in treating patients with myelodysplastic syndrome, leukemia, lymphoma or multiple myeloma. This clinical trial will test cord blood (CB) selection for human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-C1/x recipients based on HLA-killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) typing, and adoptive therapy with CB-derived NK cells for HLA-C2/C2 patients. Natural killer cells may kill tumor cells that remain in the body after chemotherapy treatment and lessen the risk of graft versus host disease after cord blood transplant.

This phase II trial studies how well cladribine, idarubicin, cytarabine, and venetoclax work in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome, or blastic phase chronic myeloid leukemia. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cladribine, idarubicin, cytarabine, and venetoclax, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading.