Cisplatin Treatment Options in Buffalo, NY

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. It is not yet known if combination chemotherapy is more effective than no further treatment for non-small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of vinorelbine plus cisplatin with that of no further therapy in treating patients who have stage I or stage II non-small cell lung cancer that has been completely removed during surgery. Read Less

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a combination of a drug, porfimer sodium (Photofrin), which is activated by a light from a laser that emits no heat. This technique works to allow the medical doctor to specifically target and destroy abnormal or cancer cells while limiting damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The activation of the drug is done by lighting the abnormal areas using a fiber optic device (very fine fiber like a fishing line that permits light transmission) inserted into a flexible tube with a light called cholangioscope for the bile duct. The light will activate the porfimer sodium concentrated in the abnormal tissue, leading to its destruction. This research study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of PDT with porfimer sodium administered with Standard Medical Care (SMC) compared to SMC alone on the overall survival time of patients with non-operable advanced cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bile ducts. It will involve 200 patients across North America and Europe. Other countries may participate if needed. Participation will last at least 18 months. Read Less

This randomized phase III trial is studying cisplatin, radiation therapy, and tirapazamine to see how well they work compared to cisplatin and radiation therapy in treating patients with cervical cancer. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and tirapazamine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Internal radiation uses radioactive material placed directly into or near a tumor to kill tumor cells. Cisplatin and tirapazamine may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. It is not yet known whether giving cisplatin together with radiation therapy is more effective with or without tirapazamine in treating cervical cancer. Read Less

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

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: 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

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 whether cisplatin combined with irinotecan is more effective than cisplatin combined with etoposide in treating extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of cisplatin combined with either irinotecan or etoposide in treating patients who have extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. Read Less

This phase II trial studies how well giving cisplatin and irinotecan hydrochloride together with radiation therapy works in treating patients with esophageal cancer or gastroesophageal junction cancer that can be removed by surgery. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and irinotecan hydrochloride, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving combination chemotherapy together with radiation therapy before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. Read Less

This phase II trial is studying how well giving bevacizumab together with radiation therapy and cisplatin works in treating patients with previously untreated locally advanced cervical cancer. Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Bevacizumab may also stop the growth of cervical cancer by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. 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 bevacizumab together with radiation therapy and cisplatin may kill more tumor cells. Read Less

This phase II trial is studying how well giving bevacizumab together with cisplatin, radiation therapy, and fluorouracil works in treating patients with stage IIB, stage III, stage IVA, or stage IVB nasopharyngeal cancer. Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Bevacizumab may also stop the growth of nasopharyngeal cancer by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and fluorouracil, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving bevacizumab together with chemotherapy and radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as pemetrexed disodium 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 more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) and giving them before and after surgery may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving pemetrexed disodium and cisplatin before and after surgery works in treating patients with stage I, stage II, or stage III non-small cell lung cancer. Read Less

This randomized phase III trial is studying different chemotherapy regimens given with or without radiation therapy to compare how well they work in treating children with newly diagnosed Hodgkin's disease. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving the drugs in different combinations may kill more cancer cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage cancer cells. It is not yet known if chemotherapy is more effective with or without additional chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy in treating Hodgkin's disease. Read Less