RATIONALE: Growth factors, such as palifermin, may prevent chronic graft-versus-host disease caused by donor stem cell transplant. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial studies palifermin in preventing chronic graft-versus-host disease in patients who have undergone donor stem cell transplant for hematologic cancer

OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the pharmacodynamic effects of palifermin on thymic function in patients at risk of chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD). II. To evaluate the tolerability of palifermin in patients at risk of chronic GVHD. OUTLINE: Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 groups based on whether they wish to receive palifermin or not. GROUP 1: Patients receive palifermin intravenously (IV) on days 1-3 in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. GROUP 2: Patients do not receive palifermin. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up on days 7, 14, 21, and 28.