Cancer Clinical Trials in Knoxville, TN

The phase III trial compares the effect of pembrolizumab to observation for the treatment of patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer who achieved a pathologic complete response after preoperative chemotherapy in combination with pembrolizumab. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. This trial may help researchers determine if observation will result in the same risk of cancer coming back as pembrolizumab after surgery in triple-negative breast cancer patients who achieve pathologic complete response after preoperative chemotherapy with pembrolizumab. Read Less

This purpose of this study is to examine skin reactions (called radiation dermatitis) that occur during pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy. The researchers will test a unique technique called "Spot Delete" to see if it can reduce skin reactions for head & neck patients treated with PBS. The investigators will also use a special computer model to study how the energy of the proton beam (linear energy transfer) is related to these skin reactions. The study involves creating a treatment plan based on a CT scan, which helps guide the proton beam in the body. Read Less

A global phase 3, multicenter, randomized, trial, to Determine the Efficacy and Safety of Durvalumab in combination with Tremelimumab and Enfortumab Vedotin or Durvalumab in combination with Enfortumab vedotin for Perioperative Treatment in Patients Ineligible for Cisplatin or who refuse Cisplantin Undergoing Radical Cystectomy for Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer. The goal of the study is to explore the triplet combination of Durvalumab, Tremelimumab and Enfortumab Vedotin in terms of efficacy and safety compared to the current Standard Of Care (SOC). Volga trial consists of two parts: Safety Run-In and Main Study. In total the study aims to enroll approximately 830 patients, who will receive triplet combination, duplet combination of Durvalumab and Enfortumab vedotin or currently approved SOC in the main trial. In the main part of the trial there is two out of three chances of being on a treatment arm and the treatment is assigned at random by a computer system. In this trial patients in the two treatment arms will receive either 3 cycles of neoadjuvant Durvalumab + Tremelimumab + Enfortumab Vedotin or Durvalumab + Enfortumab vedotin and after surgery both treatment arms will continue with adjuvant Durvalumab. Read Less

This purpose of this study is to examine skin reactions (called radiation dermatitis) that occur during pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy. The researchers will test a unique technique called "Spot Delete" to see if it can reduce skin reactions for breast patients treated with PBS. They will also use a special computer model to study how the energy of the proton beam (linear energy transfer) is related to these skin reactions. The study involves creating a treatment plan based on a CT scan, which helps guide the proton beam in the body. The clinical team uses this CT scan to find the best placement for the protons. The "Spot Delete" method prevents protons from stopping in the skin, which is thought to cause skin redness. Read Less

This phase III trial compares less intense hormone therapy and radiation therapy to usual hormone therapy and radiation therapy in treating patients with high risk prostate cancer and low gene risk score. This trial also compares more intense hormone therapy and radiation therapy to usual hormone therapy and radiation therapy in patients with high risk prostate cancer and high gene risk score. Apalutamide may help fight prostate cancer by blocking the use of androgen by the tumor cells. Radiation therapy uses high energy rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Giving a shorter hormone therapy treatment may work the same at controlling prostate cancer compared to the usual 24 month hormone therapy treatment in patients with low gene risk score. Adding apalutamide to the usual treatment may increase the length of time without prostate cancer spreading as compared to the usual treatment in patients with high gene risk score. Read Less

This purpose of this study is to examine the placement of proton spots during pencil beam scanning proton therapy for low and intermediate risk prostate cancer. The researchers will test a unique technique called "Spot Delete" to control the placement of spots during treatment planning. They will also use a special computer model to study how the energy of the proton beam (linear energy transfer) is related to rectal and bladder side effects. The study involves creating a treatment plan based on a CT scan, which helps guide the proton beam in the body. The clinical team uses this CT scan to find the best placement for the protons. The "Spot Delete" method prevents protons from stopping in the rectum, sigmoid, and small bowel, which is thought to be related to acute or late toxicities, such as tenesmus, diarrhea, fecal incontinence, proctitis, and rectal hemorrhage. Read Less

As mentioned above, several prior studies have shown the positive effects of oral use of aloe vera juice in managing chemotherapy and radiation-induced oral mucositis and esophagitis. This study aims to add to the existing body of research around aloe vera juice and its effects on oral mucositis and esophagitis. The intention is to determine whether aloe vera juice should be considered as part of standard treatment. Read Less

This is a multicenter, randomized, open-label study of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) at 150 kHz to the thorax using the NovoTTF-200T System with IV pembrolizumab in subjects previously untreated for advanced or metastatic, PD-L1 positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The primary objective is to evaluate the progression-free survival (PFS) by RECIST 1.1 in subjects with TPS ≥1 percent, 1L metastatic/current advanced NSCLC treated with TTFields concomitant with pembrolizumab compared to those treated with pembrolizumab alone. The device is an experimental, portable, battery operated device for chronic administration of alternating electric fields (termed TTFields) to the region of the malignant tumor, by means of surface, insulated electrode arrays. Read Less

This phase II/III trial compares the effect of adding chemotherapy before and after surgery versus after surgery alone (usual treatment) in treating patients with stage II-III gallbladder cancer. Chemotherapy drugs, such as gemcitabine and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving chemotherapy before surgery may make the tumor smaller; therefore, may reduce the extent of surgery. Additionally, it may make it easier for the surgeon to distinguish between normal and cancerous tissue. Giving chemotherapy after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells. This study will determine whether giving chemotherapy before surgery increases the length of time before the cancer may return and whether it will increase a patient's life span compared to the usual approach. Read Less

This randomized phase III trial studies how well crizotinib works in treating patients with stage IB-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer that has been removed by surgery and has a mutation in a protein called anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). Mutations, or changes, in ALK can make it very active and important for tumor cell growth and progression. Crizotinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the ALK protein from working. Crizotinib may be an effective treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer and an ALK fusion mutation. Read Less

This study is to assess the biodistribution and kinetics of a novel T-cell imaging agent in non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy with and without adjuvant radiation therapy. This study is assessing the change in kinetics that occurs in this patient population to better understand the distribution of this compound in patient disease circumstances. Read Less

This study is being proposed to evaluate the use of moderate hypofractionated proton therapy in low and intermediate risk prostate cancer patients. Quality of life outcomes as well as gastrointestinal and genitourinary early and late toxicities will be analyzed and compared to conventional proton therapy regimens. It is thought that this regimen will produce comparable findings and would result in substantial health care cost savings, as well as, be more convenient for patients. Read Less