RATIONALE: Collecting and storing samples of blood, urine, and tissue from patients undergoing a donor stem cell transplant to test in the laboratory may help the study of graft-versus-host disease in the future.

PURPOSE: This research study is collecting and storing tissue and DNA samples from patients undergoing a donor stem cell transplant.

OBJECTIVES:

• To establish a DNA bank from donor and recipient (prior to transplant) peripheral blood for SNP studies.
• To establish a tissue bank for gene expression studies using donor and recipient (post-transplant) peripheral blood samples.
• To establish a tissue bank for proteomic studies using donor and recipient blood and urine samples.
• To establish a tissue bank for various studies using biopsy specimens.
• To establish a tissue bank for flow cytometric studies using recipient (post-transplant), and sample from stem cell product.

OUTLINE: Peripheral blood samples are collected from donors prior to stem cell mobilization and from patients prior to starting preparative regimen. Samples are studied by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, SNP array, proteomic analysis, gene expression, and other immunological laboratory methods. Blood, urine, and tissue samples are preserved for future studies. Extra skin biopsies and gastrointestinal biopsies are performed at diagnosis of graft-vs-host disease and preserved in a tissue bank for flow cytometric studies.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Approved for allogeneic stem cell transplantation

• Sample of the stem cells from donor must meet 1 of the following criteria:

  • Total peripheral blood stem cell dose > 5 X10^6 CD34+ cells/kg
  • Marrow cell dose > 3 X 10^8 nucleated cells/kg

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Platelet count > 50,000/mm³ (for patients undergoing endoscopic biopsies)
• INR < 1.5 (for patients undergoing endoscopic biopsies)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics

People who have received a stem cell transplant and are being treated for graft versus host disease or are at risk of graft versus host disease.