Cisplatin Treatment Options in Maryland

RATIONALE: Specialized radiation therapy (RT), such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving intensity-modulated radiation therapy to the pelvis with or without chemotherapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well intensity-modulated radiation therapy to the pelvis with or without chemotherapy works in treating patients with endometrial cancer or cervical cancer that has been removed by surgery. Read Less

This is a Phase 2 Study of Paclitaxel with Cisplatin versus Fluoropyrimidine with a Platinum Agent for Neoadjuvant Therapy in Operable Esophageal Cancer Based on CHFR Methylation Status in Diagnostic Biopsies. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as docetaxel and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving chemotherapy drugs after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving docetaxel together with cisplatin works in treating patients with stage I, stage II, or stage III non-small cell lung cancer that has been completely removed by surgery. Read Less

Primary Objective for Phase I 1. To determine the maximally tolerated dose (MTD) of daily Oral dasatinib in combination with cetuximab/RT in Cohort A. 2. To determine the MTD of daily oral dasatinib in combination with cisplatin/cetuximab/RT in Cohort B Read Less

Background: * Surgical resection is the treatment of choice for patients with lung cancer, and cure after resection generally depends on whether lymph nodes are involved. A patient with Stage IIIA (N2) lung cancer has cancer in the lymph nodes involving the center of the chest (mediastinum). * Studies have shown that surgery alone as a treatment for Stage IIIA (N2) lung cancer is not as effective as chemotherapy followed by surgery. * Giving chemotherapy upfront may prevent the spread of Stage IIIA (N2) lung cancer tumors, and may shrink the tumors to allow adequate surgery to be performed. It is also thought that chemotherapy is usually better tolerated before major surgery than after, so higher doses can be given. Objectives: * To determine the effectiveness of the combination of three anti-cancer drugs (gemcitabine, cisplatin, and bevacizumab) given before surgery. * To find out what effects this drug combination may have on the patient and the cancer. * To determine if the combination of all three drugs given prior to surgery is more effective and as safe, safer, or less safe than other drug combinations given before surgery. Eligibility: * Patients with Stage IIIA (N2) lung cancer who have not had chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery to treat the cancer. Design: * Evaluations before the treatment period to determine eligibility: * Physical examination, including vital signs and body weight checks, and pregnancy test for women who can become pregnant. * Tests to evaluate heart and lung function, such as an echocardiogram. * Blood and urine tests. * Disease evaluation with computed tomography (CT), chest X-ray, positron emission tomography (PET) scans, and bronchoscopy/mediastinoscopy (examinations of the inside of the chest and lungs). * Treatment with intravenous gemcitabine, cisplatin, and bevacizumab for three 21-day cycles. * Cycles 1 and 2 - Gemcitabine on day 1 and day 8, cisplatin on day 1, bevacizumab on day 1. * Cycle 3 - Gemcitabine on day 1 and day 8, cisplatin on day 1 (no bevacizumab). * Physical examinations and tests will be conducted throughout each cycle. * Surgery will take place 4 to 6 weeks after the last cycle if heart and lung functions are satisfactory and if the cancer remains stable. * Chemotherapy (four 21-day cycles of cisplatin and etoposide treatments), further evaluations and examinations, and followup studies will take place 4 to 8 weeks after the surgery. Read Less

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies such as cetuximab can locate tumor cells and either kill them or deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and docetaxel, 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. Cisplatin and docetaxel may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Combining a monoclonal antibody with chemoradiotherapy and giving them after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying adjuvant cetuximab given together with chemoradiotherapy using cisplatin to see how well it works compared to adjuvant cetuximab given together with chemoradiotherapy using docetaxel in treating patients with resected stage III or stage IV squamous cell carcinoma (cancer) or lymphoepithelioma of the head and neck. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Gefitinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving these treatments before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. Giving gefitinib after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving paclitaxel, cisplatin, gefitinib, and radiation therapy followed by surgery and gefitinib works in treating patients with locally advanced cancer of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction that can be removed by surgery. Read Less

BACKGROUND: * The histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are a novel class of anticancer agent. These agents lead to the increased acetylation of both histone and non-histone proteins, which leads to rapid cell death in many tumor models. It is thought that the cell death observed with this class of agents may be mediated, in part, through the selective acetylation of histone proteins resulting in increased expression of specific genes. * For solid tumors in general, cell death in preclinical models has not translated to activity in patients. For this reason, studies increasingly have combined chemotherapy with HDAC inhibitors to achieve additive and potentially synergistic effects on cancer cells. * This protocol will study a continuous infusion of the HDAC inhibitor belinostat in combination with cisplatin and etoposide for patients with advanced cancer. OBJECTIVES: * To determine a safe and tolerable phase 2 dose for the combination of belinostat with cisplatin and etoposide. * Evaluate molecular markers of HDAC inhibition. ELIGIBILITY: * The protocol will be open to all patients with recurrent or advanced cancer (small-cell lung cancer and other advanced cancers) for whom standard therapy offers no curative potential. * Age greater than or equal to 18 years * ECOG Performance Status 0-2 DESIGN: * The study will begin with belinostat 400 mg/m (2)/24h administered by continuous IV infusion on days 1 and 2, cisplatin at 80 mg/m (2) IV on day 2, and etoposide at 100 mg/m (2) IV daily times 3 on days 2 - 4. Dose escalation of belinostat will follow according to traditional 3 patient cohorts. * Treatment schedule and dose escalation schemata. Read Less

This is a randomized, open-label, 2-arm, controlled, phase 2, multi-center, estimation clinical trial of docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy with and without panitumumab in the first-line treatment of subjects with metastatic or recurrent head and neck cancer, as well as a cross-over second-line panitumumab monotherapy of subjects who fail the chemotherapy only arm. This study will be conducted in the United States. Approximately 150 subjects with histologically or cytologically confirmed metastatic and/or recurrent SCCHN. Read Less

Response rates. Changes in tumor blood flow. Read Less

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. It is not yet known whether radiation therapy alone is as effective as chemotherapy plus radiation therapy in treating germ cell tumor. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying radiation therapy alone to see how well it works compared to chemotherapy and radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed primary CNS germ cell tumor. Read Less

Background: Standard therapy for mesothelioma is a combination of the drugs pemetrexed and cisplatin. However, the benefits of this treatment are limited, and in most treated patients the disease continues to worsen. SS1(dsFV)PE38 is a genetically engineered drug. It contains an antibody that binds to a certain protein on mesothelioma cells and a toxin (type of poison) made from a product of a bacterium called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is hoped that the antibody will attach to the cancer cells, allowing the toxin to enter and kill the cells. Objectives: To find out if SS1(dsFV)PE38, together with pemetrexed and cisplatin is safe and tolerable in patients with mesothelioma. To determine the maximum tolerated dose of SS1(dsFV)PE38 (the highest dose that does not cause unacceptable side effects). To see if SS1(dsFV)PE38 given with pemetrexed and cisplatin has any effect on patients tumors. To learn how the body breaks down SS1(dsFV)PE38. Eligibility: Patients 18 years of age and older with epithelial pleural mesothelioma whose disease cannot be cured with surgery, and have not had prior treatment with chemotherapy. Design: Treatment with pemetrexed, cisplatin and SS1(dsFV)PE38 in two 21-day cycles as follows: * Day 1 - Intravenous (through a vein) infusions of pemetrexed and cisplatin. * Days 1 and 2 - Intravenous solution to prevent dehydration that might occur with SS1(dsFV)PE38. * Days 1, 3 and 5 Intravenous infusion of SS1(dsFV)PE38. Small groups (3 to 6) of patients are given SS1(dsFV)PE38 at a certain dose level. If the first group experiences no significant side effects, the next group a higher dose. This continues in succeeding groups until the maximum tolerated study dose (highest dose that patients can be given safely) is determined. Continuing standard treatment with additional cycles of pemetrexed and cisplatin. Evaluations during the treatment period: * Physical examination, including vital signs and body weight checks, and pregnancy test for women who can become pregnant. * Questions about medications and side effects. * Blood and urine tests. * Disease evaluation with CT, chest X-ray, and possibly PET scans, lung function tests, pulse oximetry, performance of daily activities and quality-of-life questionnaires. Post-treatment evaluations: * Clinic visits at months 1, 3, 6, 12, 15, 18 and 21 for physical examination and disease assessment. * End-of-study visit for blood tests, vital signs and weight measurements, disease assessment, electrocardiogram, pregnancy test for women who can become pregnant Read Less