Carboplatin Treatment Options in Maryland

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: This randomized phase III trial is studying two different combination chemotherapy regimens and comparing how well they work in treating children with low-grade astrocytomas or other residual tumors of the brain. Read Less

This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Enzastaurin, an experimental drug that may prevent the growth of tumor vessels, in combination with Carboplatin, for patients who have a glioma, a type of brain tumor. Carboplatin is used for treating many kinds of cancers, though not recurrent gliomas. Tumor growth involves new cancer cell formation and accumulation, requiring a blood supply. Research shows that brain tumor cells can produce substances that stimulate new blood vessel formation. This study will look into whether the combination of drugs can stop that process. Patients ages 18 and older who have recurring gliomas, who are not pregnant or breast feeding, and who do not have serious diseases may be eligible for this study. About 96 patients will participate for 1 year. They will have a physical examination, give blood and urine samples for analysis, and undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans regarding tumor growth, and perhaps an electrocardiogram. Patients may also undergo a dynamic MRI with spectroscopy or PET scan (positron emission tomography), to distinguish a live tumor from a dying one. Researchers are studying patients taking a certain type of antiseizure medicine and patients who are not taking it because some antiseizure medicines may change the way the body handles a drug such as Enzastaurin. There will be two groups of participants, with 16 to 48 each. Group A is not taking enzyme-inducing antiseizure drugs, and Group B is taking such drugs. In Groups A and B are four dose levels, with 4 to12 patients at each level. Patients' doctors will tell them which group they belong to and how much Enzastaurin and Carboplatin they will take. Treatment consists of Enzastaurin every day for 5 weeks in Cycle 1 only and for 4 weeks beginning with Cycle 2 (each 4-week period as a cycle). Patients take Enzastaurin within 30 minutes after a meal. History, physical, and neurological examinations are repeated at the end of Cycle 1 and then every 4 weeks. Patients will have a repeat head MRI or CT scan before each cycle. If they tolerate the drugs without serious side effects and the tumor is not growing, they may continue with another cycle of Enzastaurin, taking the tablets every day, and Carboplatin being infused on Day 8 of Cycle 1 and on Day 1 of each additional cycle. Routine lab tests are done regularly. Patients will continue the 4-week cycles of treatment for as long as they have no serious side effects and there are no signs of tumor growth. Side effects of Enzastaurin may be fatigue, constipation, cough, and nausea. In men, there may be a decrease in sperm count. Carboplatin can lead to low counts in blood cells and platelets, and there may also be an allergic reaction. Vomiting is a likely side effect. At injection sites, there may be redness, swelling, and pain. This study may or may not have a direct benefit for participants. However, information gained may help the sponsor of the study, Eli Lilly and Company, and may help patients in the future who have gliomas. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Lobradimil may increase the effectiveness of a chemotherapy drug by making tumor cells more sensitive to the drug. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of carboplatin and lobradimil in treating children with brain tumors that have not responded to previous treatment. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy (disease response) and safety of mapatumumab in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel as first line therapy in subjects with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy such as gemcitabine, carboplatin, and paclitaxel 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 chemotherapy regimen is more effective in treating non-small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of different combination chemotherapy regimens in treating patients who have stage IIIB, stage IV, or recurrent 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. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy in treating patients with previously untreated stage III or stage IV ovarian or primary peritoneal cancer. Read Less

Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combining UCN-01 with carboplatin in treating patients who have advanced solid tumors. UCN-01 may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for tumor cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining UCN-01 with carboplatin may kill more tumor cells. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. It is not known whether combining chemotherapy with bone marrow or peripheral stem cell transplantation is more effective than combination chemotherapy alone in treating men with germ cell tumors. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy with or without bone marrow or peripheral stem cell transplantation in treating men with previously untreated germ cell tumors. Read Less

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies can locate tumor cells and either kill them or deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining monoclonal antibody therapy with chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab plus carboplatin and paclitaxel in treating patients who have advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Read Less

RATIONALE: Vaccines made from a gene-modified virus may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. 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. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining vaccine therapy with chemotherapy and radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how well giving vaccine therapy together with paclitaxel, carboplatin, and radiation therapy works in treating patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer that cannot be removed with 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 I trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy consisting of liposomal doxorubicin, paclitaxel, and carboplatin in treating patients who have untreated ovarian, peritoneal, or fallopian tube 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. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy in treating patients who have stage III or stage IV ovarian epithelial or primary peritoneal cancer. Read Less