RATIONALE: Giving colony-stimulating factors, such as G-CSF, helps stem cells move from the bone marrow to the blood so they can be collected. Treating stem cells collected from the patient's blood in the laboratory may increase the number of immune cells that can mount an immune response against the tumor. The treated stem cells may help destroy any remaining tumor cells (graft-versus-tumor effect). Chemotherapy may also be given to the patient to prepare the bone marrow for the stem cell transplant.

PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of autologous T cells when given with or without cyclophosphamide and fludarabine in treating patients with recurrent or persistent advanced ovarian epithelial cancer, primary peritoneal cavity cancer, or fallopian tube cancer. (fludarabine treatment closed as of 12/012009)

OBJECTIVES:

• To assess the safety and tolerability of in vitro expanded autologous WT1 specific T cells, when administered alone or in combination with non-myeloablative, immunosuppressive conditioning, in patients with recurrent or persistent, advanced, WT1-positive, ovarian epithelial cancer, primary peritoneal cavity cancer, or fallopian tube cancer.
• To determine the maximum tolerated dose of autologous WT1 specific T cells in these patients.
• To quantitate alterations in the concentration of WT1 specific T cells in the blood at defined intervals post infusion with or without non-myeloablative, immunosuppressive conditioning in order to gain estimates regarding their survival and proliferation.
• To assess the effects of the adoptively transferred T cells on the growth and progression of advanced ovarian epithelial cancer, primary peritoneal cavity cancer, or fallopian tube cancer.

OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of WT1 peptide-specific T cells.

• T-cell generation and isolation: Patients undergo collection of peripheral blood stem cells (PBMC) from which T cells are purified, stimulated in vitro with WT1 peptide-pulsed autologous EBV BLCL, and expanded ex vivo.
• Stem cell mobilization and harvest: Patients receive filgrastim (G-CSF) subcutaneously daily for five days. PBMC are collected by leukapheresis on the fifth day and then cryopreserved for subsequent reinfusion into the patient, in the event of prolonged cytopenia.
• Autologous T-cell infusion with or without conditioning chemotherapy ( fludarabine treatment closed as of 12/01/2009): Approximately 4-6 weeks after T-cell sensitization, patients receive an infusion of autologous WT1-specific T cells over 5-10 minutes on day 0. Patients enrolled in dose levels II and III also undergo pre-infusion lymphodepletive conditioning comprising cyclophosphamide IV on day -2 and fludarabine phosphate IV over approximately 30 minutes on days -6 to -2. After a 48-hour rest period, patients receive autologous WT1-specific T cells. Treatment repeats every 14 days for up to 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with responsive or stable disease after completion of therapy, may receive additional courses of autologous WT1-specific T cells every 14 days.

Blood samples are obtained at baseline and periodically during study and assayed for alterations in circulating levels of WT1 peptide-specific T cells, for biochemical indices of tumor burden, and for radiologic evidence of tumor response. Serum CA125 levels are measured and the number of T cells generating interferon gamma in response to autologous EBV BLCL is quantitated.

After completion of study therapy, patients are followed for up to 12 weeks.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Pathologically confirmed ovarian epithelial carcinoma, primary peritoneal cavity carcinoma, or fallopian tube carcinoma

  • Recurrent or persistent disease after treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy

    • Must have platinum-resistant or intolerant disease

• Evaluable disease, as demonstrated by serological (i.e., CA 125), radiological, or pathological studies

• Tumor must express the Wilms Tumor Gene 1 (WT1) peptide, as detected by IHC analysis of banked (i.e., paraffin-embedded) or freshly biopsied tumor nodules

  • Only WT1 tumors graded as moderate to strong (scores 4-12) according to adapted German Immunoreactive Score criteria are considered positive

• No prior or concurrent brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Karnofsky performance status (PS) 70-100% OR WHO PS 0-1
• Life expectancy ≥ 6 months
• ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60mL/min
• ALT and AST ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Adequate pulmonary and cardiac function
• No clinical evidence of cardiopulmonary disease, which, in the opinion of the investigator, would preclude enrollment
• Able to keep scheduled visits
• No known hepatitis B or C infection
• No known HIV positivity
• No evidence of bowel obstruction
• No clinically significant heart disease (New York Heart Association class III or IV)
• No active infections requiring antibiotics within two weeks of study entry
• No serious intercurrent illness requiring hospitalization
• No history of primary or secondary immunodeficiency or autoimmune disease
• No other cancers except nonmelanomatous skin cancer within the past 5 years
• Not pregnant or lactating
• No other issue which, in the opinion of the treating physician, would make the patient ineligible for the study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• More than 3 weeks since prior anticancer therapy (i.e., chemotherapy, biologic therapy, or immunotherapy)
• No history of whole abdominal radiation therapy