Maryland Paid Clinical Trials

Background: People with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) who have plexiform neurofibromas (pNFs) can have pain that affects their daily lives. This study aims to improve questionnaires that measure their pain, daily living, and physical functioning. Objectives: To examine and improve questionnaires about daily living for people with NF1 and pNFs. Eligibility: People ages 5 and older with NF1 and a pNF Design: Participants will be screened with medical history. This study will have 2 phases. Phase 1 participants will talk about existing pain assessment questionnaires and how pNFs affect their life. They will have group discussions of up to 8 people of a similar age with NF1 and pNFs, or the parents of children with it. These will last about 90 minutes. Children ages 5 to 7 and their parents will have one-on-one meetings instead. These will last about 45 minutes. Discussions will be audiotaped. After the questionnaires have been changed, individual interviews will discuss the new wording, instructions, questions, and electronic format of the new forms. Phase 2 is now complete. Phase 1 participants may be invited to Phase 2. Phase 2 participants will complete the new questionnaires. These may be pen-and-paper or electronic. The questionnaires will take about 30 minutes for adults and teens. Children will work one-on-one with a staff member and may need up to 45 minutes. A small group of participants will be complete the forms twice-in clinic and 1 month later at home. Also, a small group who start a new pain treatment or have a dose increase in their treatment will complete the forms twice-before the treatment change and 1 month later. ... Read Less

Background: Research has identified some of the genes involved in inherited eye diseases. But for many of these diseases, the genes are not yet known. Researchers want to try to find these genes. They also hope to learn more about how symptoms differ in people with similar gene changes. Objective: To learn more about genes involved in eye diseases. Eligibility: People who have a known or suspected inherited eye disease, and their relatives. Design: * All participants will have a medical history, physical exam, and eye exam. They will have blood taken. * Participants with an eye disease may have eye cell samples taken using a swab or biopsy procedure. * Participants may have a skin biopsy. A 3mm piece of skin will be removed. * Participants may provide samples of tears, urine, saliva, stool, hair, or inner cheek cells. * Participants may have a retina test. They may also have a test that uses light to measure retina thickness. * Participants may have an eye movement test. Electrodes will be placed on the skin next to both eyes. * Participants may have a fluorescein angiography. A dye will be given through an intravenous line in the arm. A camera will take pictures of the dye as it flows through the eyes blood vessels. * Participants may have microperimetry. They will sit at a computer screen and press a button when they see a light. * Participants may have an eye movement test. They will wear contact lenses or goggles and watch a series of spots on a computer screen. * Participants may complete a color vision test. * Participants will provide a specimen for genetic testing. * Participants may have a MRI. * Participants may complete questionnaires. Read Less

Without an explanation for severe and sometimes life-threatening symptoms, patients and their families are left in a state of unknown. Many individuals find themselves being passed from physician to physician, undergoing countless and often repetitive tests in the hopes of finding answers and insight about what the future may hold. This long and arduous journey to find a diagnosis does not end for many patients- the Office of Rare Diseases Research (ORDR) notes that 6% of individuals seeking their assistance have an undiagnosed disorder. In 2008, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undiagnosed Diseases Program (UDP) was established with the goal of providing care and answers for these individuals with mysterious conditions who have long eluded diagnosis. The NIH UDP is a joint venture of the NIH ORDR, the National Human Genome Research Institute Intramural Research Program (NHGRI-IRP), and the NIH Clinical Research Center (CRC) (1-3). The goals of the NIH UDP are to: (1) provide answers for patients with undiagnosed diseases; (2) generate new knowledge about disease mechanisms; (3) assess the application of new approaches to phenotyping and the use of genomic technologies; and (4) identify potential therapeutic targets, if possible. To date, the UDP has evaluated 3300 medical records and admitted 750 individuals with rare and undiagnosed conditions to the NIH Clinical Center. The NIH UDP has identified more than 70 rare disease diagnoses and several new conditions. The success of the NIH UDP prompted the NIH Common Fund to support the establishment of a network of medical research centers, the Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN), for fiscal years 2013-2020. The clinical sites will perform extensive phenotyping, genetic analyses, and functional studies of potential disease-causing variants. The testing performed on patients involves medically indicated studies intended to help reach a diagnosis, as well as research investigations that include a skin biopsy, blood draws, and DNA analysis. In addition, the UDN will further the goals of the UDP by permitting the sharing of personally identifiable phenotypic and genotypic information within the network. By sharing participant information and encouraging collaboration, the UDN hopes to improve the understanding of rare conditions and advance the diagnostic process and care for individuals with undiagnosed diseases. Read Less

Background: - Vasculitis is a group of diseases that inflame and damage blood vessels and tissue. It can cause many medical problems. Few tests can diagnose the disease, and none can reliably predict a relapse. Researchers want to study people s genes and follow people over time to see how the disease affects them. Objective: - To learn the signs, symptoms, imaging tests, genetic markers, and blood tests that can help identify people with vasculitis and predict what will happen to them over time. Eligibility: * People age 3 and older who have or are thought to have vasculitis, or are related to someone with it. * Healthy volunteers. Design: * Participants will be evaluated by a doctor who has expertise caring for patients with vasculitis. * Participants will give a blood sample. Some will give a urine sample. * Some participants may have brushings or biopsies taken from the inside lining of the nose. * Images of participants blood vessels may be taken using scans. For some scans, participants will lie on a table that moves in and out of a cylinder that takes pictures. For some scans, a contrast agent may be injected into an arm vein. Other scans may use a radioactive form of sugar. Healthy minors will not have scans. * Some participants will answer questionnaires. - Some participants will have their tests done at NIH. Others will have their doctor take the blood, saliva, or cheek swab samples and send them to NIH. * Some participants will have one visit lasting 1-2 (but sometimes up to 4) days. Some participants may have follow-up visits every 3 - 6 months, indefinitely. Read Less

Background: - Researchers want to develop better ways to treat cancer. In this study, they will give people with cancer two drugs. These drugs have been used on their own to treat some blood cell cancers. Objectives: - To test the safety and efficacy of the drug combination of bortezomib and clofarabine. Eligibility: - Adults age 18 and over with advanced cancer that has progressed after receiving standard treatment or that has no effective therapy. Design: * Participants will be screened with medical history, physical exam, and scans to measure their tumors. They will also have heart, blood, and urine tests. All of these may be done by their regular doctors. * Participants will get the study drugs in 21-day cyles. They will stay at the clinic for week 1 of every cycle, then have 2 weeks off. \<TAB\>- Bortezomib will be injected under the skin on days 1 and 4. \<TAB\>- Clofarabine will be injected in a vein for days 1-5. * During cycle 1 only, participants will go to the clinic or their doctor to have a physical exam and blood tests at the start of the second and third week. * Participants will have clinical evaluations throughout the study, including before receiving treatment and then before the start of each cycle. * Participants may stay in the study as long as they are tolerating the drugs and their tumor is not getting worse. * Participants will have follow-up for 30 days after the last dose of study drugs. * The first part of this study tests the safety of different doses of clofarabine and bortezomib. * The second part of this study involves a separate group of participants who will undergo mandatory research biopsies to learn more about the effects of clofarabine and bortezomib on cancer cells. Read Less

Background: - Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. It causes more than one million deaths every year. Researchers want to gather tissue samples from people with lung and thymic cancers to understand the disease better. This may lead to new ways to diagnose and treat it. Objective: - To collect tissue samples for use in the study of lung cancers. Eligibility: - Adults over age 18 with non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, extra pulmonary small cell cancer, pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors, and thymic epithelial tumors. Design: * Participants will be screened with a medical history, physical exam, and blood tests. They will be asked about how they perform their daily tasks. * Participants may be asked to give urine and blood samples. They may give a saliva sample if they cannot give blood. They will also give a sample of their tumor from a biopsy they had. They may also be given the option to undergo a biopsy. * Participants may have MRI, CT, and/or PET scans of the body. They will lie in a machine that takes pictures of the body. * After visits to the Clinical Center end, researchers will contact participants by phone every year to check on their health. Read Less

Objective: The objective of this study is to identify genetic causes of inherited eye conditions through whole exome or whole genome sequencing (referred to as exome sequencing and genome sequencing in the remainder of the document). This includes identifying mutations in known genes or novel genes for recognized conditions, as well as identifying mutations in novel genes for previously uncharacterized genetic conditions involving the eye. Study Population: We plan to recruit 1,685 participants, to include both participants with an eye condition under study and unaffected family members. Ideally unaffected family members will be parents of an affected participant. Design: Participants will be self-referred or referred by an outside clinician. They will preferably be evaluated at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), but the option to participate offsite will be offered. Participants evaluated onsite will be recruited through other pre-existing NIH protocols, such as the National Eye Institute (NEI) Screening protocol (08-EI-0102), the NEI Ocular Natural History protocol (16-EI-0134), the Genetics of Inherited Eye Disease protocol (15-EI-0128), and the Pathogenesis and Genetics of Microphthalmia, Anophthalmia and Uveal Coloboma (MAC) protocol (13-EI-0049). Offsite participants will be screened via phone or secure videoconference, and records will be requested for evaluation of affected participants. Both affected and unaffected eligible participants will undergo genetic counseling and will provide a blood sample and/or saliva sample for exome or genome sequencing. Biological relationships will be confirmed prior to exome or genome sequencing. Sequence data will be analyzed for primary variants and secondary findings, unless participants choose to opt-out of secondary analysis and reporting. All sequence variants deemed clinically relevant will be validated in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA)-certified laboratory and the results will be returned to the participant in-person, secure videoconference, or by telephone. Outcome Measures: This is an etiologic study that will generate molecular information about previously-recognized conditions for which participants did not have a molecular diagnosis, as well as molecular information for previously uncharacterized conditions involving the eye. Read Less

Background: - Past studies suggest that the best way to improve heart health in the Black community is through community-based programs. Researchers will partner with DC community leaders. They will collect information about the health and health needs of people in mostly Black churches in DC. They will study things that affect heart health, like diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight. They will also study how technology can keep track of activities and health. The information will show the health needs of this church-based community. Objectives: - To create an intervention for future programs to improve heart health in African-American churches in Washington, DC. Eligibility: - Adults ages 19 to 85 who attend one of the study churches. Design: * Participants will visit their church for a 4-hour health exam. They will have their blood pressure and body measurements taken. They will have a drop of blood taken from their finger with a small needle. This blood will be tested for blood sugar and cholesterol. Participants will be given the results of these tests. * Participants will answer questions about their health. * All participants will be given an activity monitor to wear for 1 month. The activity monitor is worn around the wrist. Some participants will also receive an activity monitor that is worn around the waist. Participants will be given instructions on how to wear the activity monitors and follow the results on a website. * At the end of 1 month, participants will return one device (they can keep the other). They may receive a gift card for completing the study. Read Less

Background: - GATA2 deficiency is a disease caused by mutations in the GATA2 gene. It can cause different types of leukemia and other diseases. Researchers want to see if a stem cell transplant can be used to treat this condition. A stem cell transplant will give stem cells from a matching donor (related or unrelated) to a recipient. It will allow the donor stem cells to produce healthy bone marrow and blood cells that will attack the recipient s cancer cells. Objectives: - To see if stem cell transplants are successful at treating GATA2 mutations and related conditions. Eligibility: - Recipients who are between 6 and 70 years of age and have GATA2 deficiency. Design: * All participants will be screened with a physical exam and medical history. Blood samples will be collected. Recipients will have imaging studies and other tests. * Recipients will have chemotherapy or radiation to prepare for the transplant. On the day of the transplant, they will receive the donated stem cells. * Recipients will stay in the hospital until their condition is stable after transplant. * Frequent blood tests and scans will be required for the first 6 months after the transplant, followed by less frequent visits over time.... Read Less

Background: - Individuals with cancer of the lung, chest cavity, ovary, or bladder, as well as patients who have been treated with adoptive cell therapy unfortunately commonly succumb to their disease. Some agree to donate their bodies to cancer research that may help the medical community better understand these diseases. Studies of cancer tumor tissue obtained soon after death may be used to answer questions about the origins, progression, and treatment of cancer. Researchers want to conduct a study that involves planned collection of cancer tumor tissue shortly after death. To do so, they will arrange to provide inpatient hospice care for people with lung cancer, ovarian cancer, bladder cancer, or patients who have been treated with adoptive cell therapy. \<TAB\> Objectives: - To collect cancer tissue biopsy samples as soon as possible after death. Eligibility: - Individuals who have cancer of the lung, chest cavity, ovary, or bladder, or those who have been treated with adoptive cell therapy and are planning to receive end-of-life hospice care are eligible to participate. Design: * Participants will agree to receive inpatient hospice care at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. Full details on end-of-life care preference will be acknowledged. * An autopsy will be performed at the clinical center within 3 hours of death. Tumor tissue will be collected from the primary site of cancer and from any areas of the body to which the cancer has spread. * Participants will not receive further cancer treatments as part of this study. This is a tissue collection study only. Read Less

Background: - Radiation is a common treatment for prostate cancer. It helps damage tumor cells and causes them to die. Radiation can be effective, but some tumors may be harder to treat with radiation or even with surgery. This happens to a small number of men who have either radiation or surgery for prostate cancer. Most men who have these hard-to-treat tumors do not know if the tumor has recurred only in the prostate or has spread to another area. Also, men whose prostate cancer has recurred only after radiation may have different treatment options. This study will use improved imaging studies to better understand why some men do not respond as well to initial radiation treatments. Objectives: - To use detailed imaging studies to look at the results of local radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Eligibility: * Men at least 18 years of age who are scheduled to have radiation for prostate cancer. * Men at least 18 years of age whose prostate cancer has returned after earlier treatments. Design: * All participants will have a medical history and physical exam. Blood and urine samples will be collected. Imaging studies will be used to evaluate the cancer at the start of the study. * All participants will have an initial full magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the prostate. Tumor and healthy tissue samples will be collected. * Those whose cancer has recurred after treatment will discuss possible treatment options with the study doctors. * Participants who are scheduled to have radiation will have radiation therapy. This will be given according to the current standard of treatment. * After radiation, participants will have regular follow-up tests and imaging studies. They will have another full MRI scan 6 months after the end of radiation treatment. Read Less

This phase II/III trial studies how well radiation therapy works when given together with cisplatin, docetaxel, cetuximab, and/or atezolizumab after surgery in treating patients with high-risk stage III-IV head and neck cancer the begins in the thin, flat cells (squamous cell). Specialized radiation therapy that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and docetaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody that may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as atezolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. The purpose of this study is to compare the usual treatment (radiation therapy with cisplatin chemotherapy) to using radiation therapy with docetaxel and cetuximab chemotherapy, and using the usual treatment plus an immunotherapy drug, atezolizumab. Read Less