Carboplatin Treatment Options in Iowa

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving rituximab together with combination chemotherapy may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving rituximab together with combination chemotherapy works in treating patients with stage II, stage III, or stage IV diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one chemotherapy drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of carboplatin combined with paclitaxel in treating patients who have advanced thymoma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of carboplatin and paclitaxel in treating patients with locally recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of docetaxel plus carboplatin in treating patients who have advanced cancer of the esophagus. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining chemotherapy with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy in treating patients who have stage III or stage IV cancer of the larynx or stage III or stage IV cancer of the oropharynx. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as pemetrexed disodium, gemcitabine, and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether giving pemetrexed disodium with gemcitabine is more effective than giving pemetrexed disodium with carboplatin in treating malignant pleural mesothelioma. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying pemetrexed disodium with gemcitabine and pemetrexed disodium with carboplatin to see how well the combinations work compared to historical controls in treating patients with advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving paclitaxel together with carboplatin works in treating patients with locally advanced or metastatic collecting duct renal cell cancer that cannot be removed by surgery. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of carboplatin, gemcitabine, and exisulind in treating patients who have advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known which combination chemotherapy regimen is more effective for treating non-small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to compare the effectiveness of two combination chemotherapy regimens in treating patients who have non-small cell lung cancer. Read Less

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as etoposide, carboplatin and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. It is not yet known which radiation therapy regimen is more effective when given together with chemotherapy in treating patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer. This randomized phase III trial is comparing different chest radiation therapy regimens to see how well they work in treating patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer. Read Less

This randomized phase III trial studies carboplatin and paclitaxel to compare how well they work with or without bevacizumab and/or cetuximab in treating patients with stage IV or non-small cell lung cancer that has returned after a period of improvement (recurrent). Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as carboplatin and paclitaxel, 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. Bevacizumab may prevent the growth of new blood vessels that tumor needs to grow. Cetuximab may also stop cancer cells from growing by binding and interfering with a protein on the surface of the tumor cell that is needed for tumor growth. It is not yet known whether giving carboplatin and paclitaxel are more effective with or without bevacizumab and/or cetuximab in treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Read Less

RATIONALE: PET scans done during chemotherapy may help doctors assess a patient's response to treatment and help plan the best treatment. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying PET scan imaging in assessing response in patients with esophageal cancer receiving combination chemotherapy. Read Less