Cisplatin Treatment Options in Durham, NC

The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the combination of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (chemotherapy before surgery) plus ipilimumab for lung cancer increases the number of patients with detectable circulating T cells with specificities against tumor associated antigens (TAA) from zero percent (0%) of patients prior to therapy to 20% of patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus ipilimumab. This is an open label Phase 2 trial. Patients with clinical stage 1B (\>4 cm), 2, (N0-2) or 3 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and no prior therapy for the current diagnosis of lung cancer will be eligible for the study. Subjects will receive 3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (paclitaxel + cisplatin/carboplatin). Ipilimumab will be administered during Cycles 2 and 3 of standard chemotherapy and for up to 4 cycles alone after surgery. Subjects will undergo standard clinically indicated surgical resection of their lung cancer as deemed appropriate by their surgeon. Standard diagnostic and staging work up will be performed including: pathologic/histologic diagnosis of NSCLC, Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/Computed Tomography (CT) scan, brain imaging, and mediastinoscopy. Three cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy will be given. Ipilimumab will be added to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for cycles 2 and 3. Standard surgical evaluation and therapy will be performed following completion of neoadjuvant therapy. Two cycles of single agent ipilimumab will be given after surgery (adjuvantly), followed by 2 cycles of maintenance therapy. Read Less

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor tissue. 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 radiation therapy is more effective with or without combination chemotherapy for endometrial cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of radiation therapy with or without combination chemotherapy following surgery in treating patients who have stage I or stage II endometrial cancer. 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 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: Growth factors, such as palifermin, may lessen the severity of mucositis, or mouth sores, in patients receiving radiation therapy and chemotherapy for head and neck cancer. It is not yet known whether palifermin is more effective than a placebo in lessening mucositis in patients receiving radiation therapy and chemotherapy for head and neck cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying palifermin to see how well it works compared to a placebo in lessening oral mucositis in patients undergoing radiation therapy and chemotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer. Read Less

This study will compare treatment with bevacizumab in combination with capecitabine and cisplatin versus placebo in combination with capecitabine and cisplatin, as first-line therapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer who had not received prior chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic disease. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine the following: 1. Find the maximum tolerated dose of E7050 when given in combination with cisplatin and capecitabine in patients with advance or metastatic solid tumors, and 2) Whether E7050 in combination with cisplatin and capecitabine is more effective in patients with previously untreated gastric cancer versus cisplatin and capecitabine alone. 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

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as vinorelbine, cisplatin, docetaxel, gemcitabine, and pemetrexed disodium, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Sometimes after surgery, the tumor may not need more treatment until it progresses. In this case, observation may be sufficient. It is not yet known whether chemotherapy is more effective than observation in treating patients who have undergone surgery for stage I non-small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying four chemotherapy regimens to see how well they work compared with observation in treating patients with early stage 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. It is not yet known if gemcitabine is more effective when given alone or in combination with another chemotherapy drug in treating cancer of the pancreas. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to compare the effectiveness of gemcitabine given alone or in combination with other chemotherapy drugs in treating patients who have metastatic cancer of the pancreas. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in 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: Randomized phase III trial to compare different combination chemotherapy regimens in treating patients who have advanced bladder cancer. Read Less