Cancer Clinical Trials in Philadelphia, PA

Investigators will test the effectiveness of adaptive strategies on timely adoption of cervical cancer treatment in Botswana using a pragmatic trial design. Read Less

Study RGX-104-001 is a Phase 1, first-in-human, dose escalation and expansion study of RGX-104, an oral small molecule targeting the liver X receptor (LXR), as a single agent and in combination with nivolumab, ipilimumab, docetaxel, or pembrolizumab plus carboplatin/pemetrexed. Read Less

The investigators hypothesize that intensification of local therapy will lead to improvements in local control and survival in patients with unresectable and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer. We propose to do this by combining nab-paclitaxel concurrently with dose-escalated radiation therapy. In the first part of this phase I study (sub-trial 1), the nab-paclitaxel dose will be escalated while the radiation dose is held constant at a standardly accepted level. The use of this novel chemoradiotherapy regimen will take advantage of nab-paclitaxel's specific anti-tumor and anti-stromal properties, which may enhance the efficacy of radiation therapy, and thereby improve local control. After the MTD of nab-paclitaxel had been determined, a second arm in sub-trial 1 will evaluate the addition of paricalcitol to nab-paclitaxel concurrently with dose-escalated radiation therapy. In addition, after the MTD of the nab-paclitaxel is reached in sub-trial 1 arm A, in the second part of this study (sub-trial 2), we will administer nab-paclitaxel at the determined MTD concurrently with escalated doses of radiation. We will utilize IMRT or protons to safely deliver high doses of radiation while maximally sparing surrounding normal tissue. Patients will also preferentially have 2-3 fiducial markers placed in or around the tumor for daily localization. Chemotherapy before and/or after chemoradiotherapy may be given as per standard of care. Correlative tissue and serum biomarkers are an important, but optional, part of this study. Read Less

This is an unblinded, randomized clinical study comparing the efficacy of DNA damaging chemotherapy using carboplatin, to standard of care therapy for patients who have metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer. This trial will use olaparib or carboplatin as initial therapy with crossover to the alternate or second-line drug after first progression for patients with tumors containing BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, CHEK1, FANCL, PALB2, RAD51B, RAD51C, RAD51D, or RAD54L inactivating mutations. Participants are randomized (1:1) and receive either carboplatin (AUC 5, IV) every 21 days, first or olaparib taken orally (300 mg), twice daily in 28 day cycles, until intolerance, complete response, or progression by Prostate Cancer Working Group 3 (PCWG3) criteria. Participants then crossover from the first-line therapy to the second-line therapy with the opposite study medication and receive treatment to intolerance or progression (whichever is first). Enrolled participants will be allowed to crossover to second line therapy if they continue to meet initial eligibility criteria, and at least three weeks have elapsed since last administration of either carboplatin or olaparib. Throughout the study, safety and tolerability will be assessed. Progression will be evaluated with bone scan, CT of the abdomen/pelvis, or MRI and PSA as per PCWG3 criteria. Read Less

This is a multi-centre, Phase 1/2, open-label clinical trial of the VTP-850 prime-boost immunotherapeutic in men with biochemical recurrence after definitive local therapy for prostate cancer. Read Less

This phase I clinical trial studies how well low intensity shockwave therapy (LiSWT) improves erectile function in patients who have had nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy (NS-RP), a type of surgery that attempts to save the nerves near the tissues being removed, for prostate cancer. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a known side effect of the radical prostatectomy procedure. The low intensity shockwave therapy delivers painless electrotherapy pulse to increase blood flow and supply, activation of tissues and wound healing. Using LiSWT after NS-PRP may improve erectile function in men with prostate cancer. Read Less

This phase III trial compares pembrolizumab with radiation therapy to pembrolizumab without radiation therapy (standard therapy) given after pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body (metastatic). Pembrolizumab is a type of immunotherapy that stimulates the body's immune system to fight cancer cells. Pembrolizumab targets and blocks a protein called PD-1 on the surface of certain immune cells called T-cells. Blocking PD-1 triggers the T-cells to find and kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy uses high-powered rays to kill cancer cells. Giving radiation with pembrolizumab may be more effective at treating patients with metastatic head and neck cancer than the standard therapy of giving pembrolizumab alone. Read Less

This protocol will involve collection of blood samples from patients with a diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma for evaluation of circulating biomarkers. Read Less

This is a multi- centered two-stage Pilot Study assessing the tolerability and toxicity of an alternating regimen of FOLFOX and FOLFIRI for the treatment of newly diagnosed and untreated metastatic pancreatic cancer in patients over the age of 65 years. Read Less

The goal of the observational study is to learn how black and white patients with solid tumor cancer use cannabis, opioids and tobacco. The investigators are using momentary ecological assessment through a smart phone app and surveys to assess patient-reported pain and other symptoms as to inform clinical practice and guidelines for underrepresented populations. Read Less

The Childhood Cancer Predisposition Study (CCPS) is a multi-center, longitudinal, observational study that will collect clinical and biological data and specimens from children with a cancer predisposition syndromes (CPS) and their relatives. The central hypothesis is that studying individuals at high risk for childhood cancer creates a unique opportunity for improving the understanding of carcinogenesis, tumor surveillance, early detection, and cancer prevention, which will collectively contribute to improving care and outcomes for pediatric patients with cancer and those with cancer predisposition syndromes (CPS). Read Less

Women with known or suspected recurrent or metastatic uterine cancer may be eligible for this study. Patients may participate in this study if they are at least 18 years of age, most participants will be receiving care at the clinical practices of the University of Pennsylvania. [18F]fluoroestradiol (FES) PET/CT imaging will be used to evaluate estrogen receptor (ER) activity in areas of disease known by standard of care imaging (e.g. CT, MRI, Bone Scan, FDG PET/CT, ultrasound) or clinical exam. For patients starting a new line of therapy, imaging will occur prior to starting new therapy. For patients who completed an initial scan and are starting new therapy, some patients may also undergo a second FES PET/CT scan at the time of suspected progression of disease to compare for changes in FES uptake measures (prior to initiation of next line therapy). The selection of therapy will be made by a treating physician and will not be affected by participation in this imaging study. Results of the FES PET/CT scan may be shared with the treating physician or subject by request but will not be used to make clinical decisions about treatment. Read Less