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