Cancer Clinical Trials in Pittsburgh, PA

Phase 1/2 study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and efficacy of SNS-101, a novel anti VISTA IgG1 monoclonal antibody as monotherapy or in combination with cemiplimab in patients with advanced solid tumors. Read Less

This is a Phase 1, multicenter, open-label dose escalation study to determine the safety and tolerability of intratumoral (IT) injection of tolododekin alfa (ANK-101) in participants with advanced solid tumors who have progressed during or after receiving standard of care (SOC) therapy or who will not benefit from such therapy. The study will be conducted in three parts; in Part 1, participants with superficial lesions will receive ANK-101 as a single agent; in Part 2, participants with visceral lesions will receive ANK-101 as a single agent; and in Part 3, participants with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) will receive ANK-101 in combination with cemiplimab. Read Less

Patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, NSCLC, HCC (Child Pugh Class A only), MSI-High solid tumors, Urothelial Cancer, GE junction/Gastric Adenocarcinoma, or HNSCC for which current standard of care treatment for their stage of disease would be with Pembrolizumab or Nivolumab monotherapy, who meet eligibility criteria will undergo a biopsy (core or excisional/incisional; FNA not adequate) for baseline tissue. Patients will then be randomized to one of 3 arms: Anti-PD-1 mAb plus Metformin 500mg po BID, Anti-PD-1 mAb alone, Anti-PD-1 mAb plus Rosiglitazone 4mg po qdaily. Five weeks (+/- 7 days) after initiation of therapy a patient will undergo a repeat biopsy (core or excisional/incisional; FNA not adequate) for correlative analysis. The patient will then continue on study therapy for up to 2 years, or until progression of disease or unacceptable toxicity, whichever occurs first. RECIST 1.1 with modifications, to allow for continued therapy until progressive disease is confirmed if the patient is clinically stable, will be used in the trial. Read Less

The purpose of this retrospective and prospective project is to understand the molecular and genetic basis of liver cancer of childhood. Understanding the molecular and genetic bases of liver cancers can offer a better classification based on tumor biology, mechanisms and predisposition. Read Less

The NSS-2 BRIDGE® device (NSS stands for Neuro-Stimulation System) is a disposable device that stimulates the branches of cranial nerves and of the superficial cervical plexus innervating the ear. Because the stimulation of the nerves of the ear by the NSS-2 BRIDGE® device (NBD®) has been shown to modulate pain pathways in rodents, decrease abdominal pain in adolescents with inflammatory bile syndrome and due to the results of our preliminary pilot study, the investigators hypothesized that this technique may also be effective in reducing the requirement for postoperative opioids and provide a non-pharmacological alternative to perioperative opioid use. To establish the role that the stimulation of the nerves of the ear may have in reducing postoperative opioid requirement, the investigators are proposing to conduct a randomized, placebo controlled study in patients undergoing open abdominal or pelvic surgery requiring at least 5 days of hospitalization. Subjects who have signed an informed consent will be randomized in 2 groups (active NBD® group or inactive NBD® group). Furthermore, since preoperative and postoperative mood disorders have been shown to increase postoperative pain levels and opioid requirement by up to 50%, the investigators further hypothesize that the stimulation of the ear nerves by the NSS-2 BRIDGE® effects may be in part mediated by a reduction of the level of anxiety, depression and catastrophizing as assessed using validated questionnaires. Read Less

Spermatogonial stem cell transplantation through ultrasound guided rete testis injection and testicular tissue grafting will be performed for participants who have frozen testicular tissue prior to gonadotoxic therapy. The purpose of this study is to test the safety and feasibility of these transplant technologies and restore fertility for these participants. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine what effects (good and bad) cabozantinib has in treatment of patients with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The hypothesis for this trial is that cabozantinib has anti-tumor activity in a molecularly-selected group of patients with CRPC or patients with liver metastases. Read Less

The investigational drug to be studied in this protocol, BCA101, is a first-in-class compound that targets both EGFR with TGFβ. Based on preclinical data, this bifunctional antibody may exert synergistic activity in patients with EGFR-driven tumors. Read Less

This phase II trial tests whether the addition of radiation to the primary tumor, typically given with stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR), in combination with standard of care immunotherapy improves outcomes in patients with renal cell cancer that is not recommended for surgery and has spread to other places in the body (metastatic). Radiation therapy uses high energy photons to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Stereotactic body radiation therapy uses special equipment to position a patient and deliver radiation to tumors with high precision. This method may kill tumor cells with fewer doses of radiation over a shorter period and cause less damage to normal tissue. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, ipilimumab, avelumab, and pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Axitinib, cabozantinib, and lenvatinib are in a class of medications called antiangiogenic agents. They work by stopping the formation of blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to tumor. This may slow the growth and spread of tumor. Giving SABR in combination with standard of care immunotherapy may help shrink or stabilize the cancer in patients with renal cell cancer. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of selinexor as a maintenance treatment in patients with p53 wt endometrial carcinoma (EC), who have achieved a partial response (PR) or complete response (CR) (per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 \[RECIST v 1.1\]) after completing at least 12 weeks of platinum-based therapy. A total of 220 participants will be enrolled in the study and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to maintenance therapy with either selinexor or placebo. Read Less

This is a research study to evaluate the effectiveness of 3 different types of routine pain management regimens used during clinically indicated, minimally invasive oncologic (cancer) surgery. This project is considered "Research" and participation is voluntary. Upon enrollment in this study, the research team will collect data from the patient's medical records. The patient will undergo all of the normal testing and procedures required pre-operatively (standard of care). The study team will then randomly assign the patient (like a flip of a coin) to one of three different study arms for pain management during surgery: 1. Laparoscopic Transversus Abdominis Plane Block (LapTAP) with Local Anesthetic (LA) 2. Laparoscopic Transversus Abdominis Plane Block (LapTAP) only 3. Local Anesthetic (LA) only The patient will receive standard pre- and post-operative care according to clinical guidelines (routine care). The study team will collect information from the patient's medical record for the first 24 hours after their surgery and upon discharge. This information will include pain scores, amount of medication required, any side effects the patient may have experienced, and satisfaction with pain control. Participation in the study will end upon discharge from the hospital. Read Less

The investigators propose to evaluate the safety of drug combinations in patients with advanced gastroesophageal cancer and other gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. Finding effective novel therapies for patients with advanced gastric cancer and other GI malignancies is an area of great unmet need. The investigators believe that modulating the tumor microenvironment with biologic agents like cabozantinib will have synergistic effect when combined with checkpoint-based immunotherapeutics like durvalumab in this patient population. This is a phase I/II, open label, multi-cohort trial looking at safety, tolerability and efficacy endpoints. Read Less