• Response (i.e., major cytogenetic or molecular response) within 12 months after completion of study therapy [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Mortality rate [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine the feasibility of ex vivo expansion and reinfusion of autologous CD4+ T cells after interferon therapy or high-dose chemotherapy with CD34-selected autologous peripheral blood stem cell rescue in patients with chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).
• Determine the frequency of hematologic, cytogenetic, and molecular remissions of CML following infusion of ex vivo expanded T cells.

OUTLINE: Patients undergo mononuclear cell leukapheresis to obtain T cells for ex-vivo expansion, preferably before they receive interferon alfa subcutaneously (SC) daily on a therapeutic trial.

At least 1 month after interferon is stopped, mobilization chemotherapy is administered. Patients receive cyclophosphamide IV over 12 hours on day 0, etoposide IV over 2 hours on day 1, sargramostim (GM-CSF) SC on days 3 and 4, and filgrastim (G-CSF) SC beginning on day 5. Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) are collected by leukapheresis when blood cell counts have recovered.

Approximately 2-3 weeks later, high-dose chemotherapy begins. Patients receive gemcitabine IV over 100 minutes on day -5, carmustine IV over 2 hours on day -2, followed 6 hours later by gemcitabine IV again, and melphalan IV over 20 minutes on day -1. CD34 selected PBSCs are infused on day 0, at least 18 hours after melphalan administration. Patients receive GM-CSF SC beginning on day 1 and continuing until blood cell counts recover.

Patients then receive ex vivo expanded autologous T cells on day 14 after autotransplantation. Interferon alfa is administered three times a week starting about 3 months after transplantation.

Patients who only receive expanded T cells, without high-dose chemotherapy and autotransplantation, but show no response after 3 months, may proceed to autotransplantation followed by a second ex vivo expanded T-cell infusion.

Patients are followed at 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, then every 6 months thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 7-22 patients will be accrued for this study.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia based on clinical features and molecular evidence for bcr/abl gene rearrangement

  • First or second chronic phase at the time of stem cell collection
• Ineligible for allogeneic transplantation

• Should receive interferon alfa (IFN-A) with or without low-dose cytarabine for at least 3-6 months before autotransplantation and meet one of the following conditions:

  • After 3 months of IFN-A, hematologic response is partial or less and poor clinical feature was present at diagnosis
  • After 6 months of IFN-A, hematologic response is partial or complete (but 100% Ph+) and poor clinical feature was present at diagnosis
  • After 9 or 12 months of IFN-A, no cytogenetic response occurred (100% Ph+), regardless of pretreatment clinical features
  • After at least 12 months of IFN-A (or on 2 separate tests, 3 months apart), only minor cytogenetic response (35-90% Ph+) occurred, then eligible for ex vivo expanded autologous T cells only (without high-dose chemotherapy or autografting) or high-dose therapy plus autographing at physicians' discretion
  • After at least 12 months of IFN-A (or on 2 tests, 3 months apart), major but not complete cytogenetic response (0-34% Ph+) occurred, then eligible for ex vivo expanded autologous T cells only (without high-dose chemotherapy or autografting)
  • After at least 18 months of IFN-A, complete cytogenetic response (0% Ph+) occurred but remain positive for BCR/ABL gene rearrangement then eligible for ex vivo expanded autologous T cells only (without high-dose chemotherapy or autografting)
• Unsatisfactory response to prior STI571 allowed (regardless of prior IFN-A)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Not specified

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (unless due to Gilbert's disease)
• AST and ALT no greater than 2 times ULN (unless liver involvement with CML)

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 2.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• LVEF at least 45% (lower allowed if no significant functional impairment)

Pulmonary:

• FEV_1, FVC, and DLCO at least 50% predicted

Other:

• No active infections requiring IV antibiotics
• HIV negative
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 1 month since prior interferon

Chemotherapy:

• At least 1 week since hydroxyurea before leukapheresis

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• Not specified

Surgery:

• Not specified