OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the frequency of treatment success in patients with intestinal graft-versus-host disease with contraindications to high-dose immunosuppressive therapy treated with beclomethasone. II. Determine the frequency of adverse events related to the use of this drug in these patients. III. Assess the natural history and outcome of the medical problem for which high-dose immunosuppressive therapy was a contraindication.~OUTLINE: Patients receive oral beclomethasone 4 times daily for 28 days. Treatment may repeat for an additional 28 days as needed. Patients are interviewed weekly to assess treatment success and adverse events. Patients are followed at 1 and 2 weeks.~PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 40-100 patients will be accrued for this study within 3 years.
RATIONALE: Beclomethasone may be an effective treatment for graft-versus-host disease.~PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of beclomethasone in treating patients who have graft-versus-host disease of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, or colon.