New combo therapy before stem cell transplant shows promise for leukemia patients

This study tests a new approach for people with leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) who need a donor stem cell transplant. Before the transplant, patients receive a special type of radiation (helical tomotherapy) along with two chemotherapy drugs (fludarabine and melphalan) to kill cancer cells and prevent rejection of the donor cells. The main goal is to check the safety of this combination by tracking serious side effects. The study enrolled 75 participants and is no longer recruiting, but results will help improve future transplant treatments.