Vaccination of Patients at High Risk for Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder With a Photochemically Inactivated EBV-Infected B-Cell Vaccine
RATIONALE: Vaccines made from a person's white blood cells may help the body build an effective immune response. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects of vaccine therapy in treating patients who are being considered for solid organ transplant who are at risk for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder.
∙ DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Being considered for a solid organ transplant
• At high risk for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder
∙ PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Body weight ≥ 25 kg
• Karnofsky performance status 50-100% OR
• Lansky performance status 50-100%
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use contraception during and for 2 months after completion of study treatment
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL (erythropoietin allowed)
• No history of autoimmune disease, including any of the following:
‣ Systemic lupus erythematosus
⁃ Sarcoidosis
⁃ Rheumatoid arthritis
⁃ Glomerulonephritis
⁃ Vasculitis
• No primary immunodeficiency
• No HIV positivity
∙ PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• No corticosteroids for 1 month before and for 1 month after the first study vaccination, except for the following:
‣ Physiologic steroid dosing (≤ 20 mg/day of prednisone or steroid equivalent) for adrenal insufficiency
⁃ Inhaled steroids