Rasburicase in Preventing Graft-Versus-Host Disease in Patients With Hematologic Cancer or Other Disease Undergoing Donor Stem Cell Transplant

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Patients with hematologic malignancies for whom conventional myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation is deemed clinically appropriate and who are eligible for conventional myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation on treatment plans/protocols, including any of the following:

  * Non-Hodgkin lymphoma or Hodgkin lymphoma (relapsed or refractory disease)
  * Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (received more than one previous treatment regimen)
  * Acute myelogenous or lymphoblastic leukemia (AML/ALL) (high-risk disease, in first complete remission \[CR1\] or subsequent remission, or primary refractory disease)
  * Chronic myelogenous leukemia in tyrosine-kinase resistant chronic phase, accelerated or blast phase, or primary refractory disease
  * Myelodysplastic syndromes in International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) high-intermediate or high-risk groups
  * Other hematologic disorders for which allogeneic stem cell transplantation is appropriate (e.g., myelofibrosis)
* Patients who have relapsed after standard autologous and/or allogeneic bone marrow transplant are eligible
* Must be receiving filgrastim (G-CSF)-mobilized related or unrelated donor allogeneic peripheral blood stem cells

  * Patients receiving hematopoietic stem cells of any other sources such as a marrow graft or umbilical cord blood will not be eligible for this study
* Donor must be HLA-genotypically or phenotypically 6 of 6 antigen matched (at the A, B, DR loci) related or unrelated

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

* Patients with a "currently active" second malignancy other than non-melanoma skin cancers can only be registered if survival from the second malignancy is expected to be more than 1 year
* Ejection fraction ≥ 45% by either radioisotope Multiple Gated Acquisition Scan (MUGA) scan or Echocardiogram (ECHO)
* Diffusing Capacity of the Lung for Carbon Monoxide (DLCO) ≥ 50% of predicted with no symptomatic pulmonary disease
* Mini Mental Status Exam Score ≥ 20
* Patients must have an expected life expectancy of at least 3 months
* Patients with symptomatic visceral, blood stream or nervous system opportunistic infection are eligible if the infection has been appropriately treated and controlled

  * Patients with a fungal infection must have had treatment for at least one month and must have proof of regression of the infection prior to enrollment
  * Patients may be on antibiotics at the time of transplant

Exclusion criteria:

* Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection
* Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
* Active congestive heart failure from any cause

  * Previous history of congestive heart failure allowed
* Active angina pectoris
* Oxygen-dependent obstructive pulmonary disease
* Failure to demonstrate adequate compliance with medical therapy and follow-up
* Known history of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency or history of hemolysis indicative of G6PD deficiency

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics