A Feasibility Study of Prophylactic White Blood Cell Transfusions

Patients with leukemia often have low white blood cell counts after chemotherapy, which puts them at greater risk of infection. The standard of care for preventing infections is to give these patients antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral drugs during the time that white blood cell counts are low. However, many patients still develop infections during chemotherapy. Radiated white blood cell transfusions are a standard treatment once a patient develops a severe infection. The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if giving white blood cell transfusions that are not radiated early in chemotherapy might delay or prevent infections in patients with leukemia. Researchers also want to learn more about the type and severity of any infections that do occur.