Blood Samples From Patients on a Clinical Trial to CINV During HSCT

Substance P Follow-up to a Pilot Study of Aprepitant vs Placebo Combined With Standard Antiemetics for the Control of Nausea and Vomiting During Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood in the laboratory from patients with cancer may help doctors learn more about nausea and vomiting caused by cancer treatment.

PURPOSE: This laboratory study is looking at blood samples from patients with cancer who were treated on a clinical trial to control nausea and vomiting during donor stem cell transplant.

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• To compare the amount of substance P in serum samples from patients with cancer treated with busulfan/cyclophosphamide or cyclophosphamide/total body irradiation conditioning regimens prior to undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Secondary

• To assess the changes in substance P over time to see if there is an optimal time shown by this physiologic correlate to discontinue substance P blockade after the chemotherapy regimen is completed in these patients.

OUTLINE: Previously collected serum samples are analyzed by enzyme immunoassay for changes in substance P levels.

Patients' medical records are reviewed for demographic information, past history, and course of treatment.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Previously collected serum samples from patients with cancer enrolled on the placebo arm of the pilot aprepitant study

  • Patients treated with busulfan/cyclophosphamide or cyclophosphamide/total body irradiation conditioning regimens prior to undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics