OBJECTIVES:
* Compare the efficacy of Traumeel® S vs placebo in reducing the severity and duration of chemotherapy-induced (with or without total body irradiation) mucositis in pediatric patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
* Determine the safety of this drug in these patients.
OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to treatment with total body irradiation during conditioning chemotherapy (yes vs no), type of transplantation (autologous vs allogeneic), and participating institution (COG vs foreign). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.
* Arm I: Patients receive oral Traumeel® S mouth rinse 5 times daily beginning on day -1 before transplantation.
* Arm II: Patients receive oral placebo mouth rinse 5 times daily beginning on day -1 before transplantation.
In both arms, treatment continues until day 20 post-transplantation OR until mucositis resolves to Walsh score ≤ 1 for 2 consecutive days.
Patients are followed until day 100 post-transplantation.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 180 patients (90 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study within 2 years.
