Boston, MA Paid Clinical Trials

We aim to assess the effect of Ofatumumab on microglial activation using \[F-18\]PBR06 PET in MS patients in relation to changes in serum markers, MRI abnormalities and clinical impairment longitudinally over 9 months. Specific Aims: Specific Aim 1: To determine the effect of Ofatumumab on microglial activation in MS over 9 months. Specific Aim 2: To determine the time course of effect of Ofatumumab on microglial activation and its relationship with peripheral B-cell depletion, serum neurofilament light (sNfL) chain and glial-fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) levels and other serum biomarkers Specific Aim 3: To determine the relationship of PET changes following Ofatumumab initiation with 3T MRI changes and clinical parameters. Read Less

This research will test the hypothesis that immune system disequilibrium / dysfunction explains why preoperative cognitive impairment is a strong predictor of postoperative morbidity in older surgical patients. The investigators propose that cognitive impairment influences surgical morbidity because of underlying immune disequilibrium / dysfunction (risk marker) and that this shapes the immune response to surgery and defines immunological hallmarks of postoperative morbidity (disease marker). The overarching goal of this application therefore is to define and better understand the clinical immunology underlying the relationship between cognition and geriatric surgical morbidity. Read Less

This research study is evaluating a therapy called proton beam radiation therapy (PBRT) as a possible treatment for neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma most commonly occurs in and around the adrenal glands, which are located at the top of the kidneys. However, it can also occur in other areas where groups of nerve cells exist, such as other areas of the abdomen, neck and near the spine. Conventional radiation therapy with photons is used as standard treatment for many patients with neuroblastic tumors. In this research study, the investigators are looking at another type of radiation called proton radiation which is known to spare surrounding tissues and organs from unnecessary radiation. Proton radiation delivers radiation to the area requiring radiation. This may reduce side effects that patients would normally experience with standard radiation therapy or other means of delivering proton radiation therapy. In this research study, the investigators are evaluating the effectiveness of using proton radiation delivered to reduce side effects associated with radiation treatment. The investigators will also be assessing the late side effects experienced by participants in each treatment group. Read Less

This research study is a Phase I clinical trial. Phase I clinical trials test the safety of an investigational intervention. Phase I studies also try to define the appropriate dose of the investigational therapy to use for further studies. "Investigational" means that the intervention is still being studied and that research doctors are trying to find out more about it. Retroperitoneal sarcomas are soft tissue tumors located at the far back of the abdomen. Typically, patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas either have surgery for the removal of their tumors alone, or have their tumors removed, followed by standard radiation therapy, or have pre-operative radiation followed by surgery. When conventional radiation therapy is delivered after surgery, it can damage normal tissue. In this study, you will undergo proton beam radiation therapy or IMRT before undergoing surgery for the removal of your tumor. Proton radiation and IMRT are FDA approved radiation delivery systems. Protons are tiny particles with positive charge that can be controlled to travel a certain distance and stop inside the body. In theory, this allows better control of where the radiation dose is delivered as compared to photons. Since proton radiation is more targeted, it may help to reduce unwanted side effects from radiation. In this study, a standard dose of radiation will be given to the majority of the tumor, while a simultaneously integrated boost of additional radiation will be given to certain areas of the tumor identified as higher risk. This means that a higher radiation dose will be given to the higher risk areas of the tumor. The purpose of this study is to determine the highest dose of radiation therapy with protons or IMRT that can be delivered safely in patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas and the effectiveness of proton beam radiation therapy as an intervention for patients with retroperitoneal sarcomas. Read Less

Surgery is currently the only potentially curative treatment modality for localized retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS). Available studies regarding oncologic outcomes are mainly retrospective in nature, and RPS are recognized as a rare disease. Therefore, prospective analysis of high quality data is a top priority. Primary Objectives of this study are: * to prospectively collect standardized clinical data and radiological and pathological material from primary RPS patients treated with surgery at reference centers. * patient outcome will be evaluated in terms of overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), crude cumulative incidence (CCI) of local recurrence (LR) and distant metastasis (DM). Secondary Objectives: * to estimate the efficacy and safety of surgical treatment, including extended surgical approach to primary RPS; * to prospectively evaluate the impact of multimodality therapy, including radiation therapy and chemotherapy; * to identify clinical, radiological and pathological characteristics that may influence the oncological outcome or may be used as predictors of LR/DM/OS. These may be important biomarkers of disease; * to utilize collected pathological material for research collaborations. Read Less