Cisplatin Treatment Options in Chicago, IL

This randomized phase II trial is to see if combination chemotherapy works better with or without bevacizumab in treating patients who have malignant mesothelioma. Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, 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 deliver cancer-killing substances to them. It is not yet known if combination chemotherapy works better with or without bevacizumab in treating malignant mesothelioma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining chemotherapy with peripheral stem cell transplantation may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy drugs and kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy and peripheral stem cell transplantation in treating patients who have multiple myeloma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. A bone marrow or peripheral stem cell transplant using stem cells from the patient may be able to replace blood-forming cells that were destroyed by chemotherapy. This may allow more chemotherapy to be given so that more tumor cells are killed. PURPOSE: This phase III trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy with or without etoposide followed by an autologous stem cell transplant works in treating young patients with previously untreated malignant brain tumors. Read Less

This is a pilot study that will allow investigators to collect data related to early and potentially more accurate response assessments using a chemotherapy protocol that eliminates methotrexate to maximize the dose intensity of doxorubicin. The pilot data will be used to seek funding to more fully address the hypotheses in a multi-institutional, Phase II or Phase III trial. The primary and secondary objectives are as follows: Primary: 1. To evaluate the feasibility and potential usefulness of measuring early changes in tumor metabolic activity, assessed by Fludeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) imaging and alkaline phosphatase activity, as early predictors of histological response rate at 12 weeks in osteosarcoma patients. 2. To explore whether histological response can be assessed by a computer algorithm using virtual microscopic images of pathology material, and whether quantifying necrosis in this way correlates with microscope slide-based review. Secondary: 1. To gather pilot data on the histological response rate, 3-year event-free survival, and toxicity when children and young adults with resectable osteosarcoma are treated using a chemotherapy regimen of alternating courses of doxorubicin/cisplatin (DC) and doxorubicin/ifosfamide/etoposide (IDE). All patients will receive 4 courses of preoperative chemotherapy courses. With the exception of high-dose methotrexate, which is given weekly, preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy courses are planned to begin every 21 days. Patients with good histological response (those patients with \> 90% tumor necrosis at time of definitive resection) will receive three postoperative chemotherapy courses. The 1st will consist of doxorubicin, dexrazoxane, cisplatin and Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF)(or Polyethylene Glycol filgrastim). The 2nd course will consist of doxorubicin, dexrazoxane, ifosfamide, MESNA, etoposide, G-CSF (or PEG-filgrastim). The 3rd course will consist of ifosfamide, MESNA, etoposide, G-CSF (or PEG-filgrastrim). The total doxorubicin dose will be 450 mg/m2. Patients with poor response (those patients with \< 90% tumor necrosis found on pathology at time of definitive resection) will receive five postoperative chemotherapy courses. High Dose-Methotrexate will be administered during the 1st and 3rd postoperative chemotherapy courses as 4-weekly and 2-weekly doses, respectively. The 2nd course will consist of doxorubicin, dexrazoxane, cisplatin and G-CSF (or PEG-filgrastim). The 4th course will consist of doxorubicin, dexrazoxane, ifosfamide, Mesna, etoposide, G-CSF (or PEG-filgrastim). The 5th cycle will consist of ifosfamide, Mesna, etoposide, G-CSF (or PEG-filgrastrim). The total doxorubicin dose will be 450 mg/m2. 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 x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs, such as amifostine, may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of amifostine plus cisplatin, paclitaxel, and radiation therapy in treating patients who have advanced unresectable head and neck cancer. Read Less

Primary goal of the study is to assess the overall survival of the addition of hypofractionated image guided radiotherapy concurrently with Docetaxel and cisplatin. Survival will be assessed at 1 year from the date of study enrollment to date of death. 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 more than one chemotherapy drug with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of radiation therapy plus combination chemotherapy in treating patients with limited-stage 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 effect on the body of combining cyclophosphamide with cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin in treating children who have newly diagnosed malignant germ cell tumors that are not in the brain and gonads. Read Less

Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as 3-AP and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. 3-AP may help cisplatin kill more cancer cells by making them more sensitive to the drug. This phase II trial is studying how well giving 3-AP together with cisplatin works in treating patients with recurrent or metastatic adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Biological therapies use different ways to stimulate the immune system and stop cancer cell from growing. Combining more than one drug with different types of biological therapies may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy plus biological therapy in treating patients who have metastatic melanoma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Chemoprotective drugs, such as amifostine, may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining gemcitabine, cisplatin, and amifostine following surgery in treating patients who have locally advanced bladder 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 II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy in treating patients who have stage IV locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer. Read Less