Cisplatin Treatment Options in Philadelphia, PA

RATIONALE: Chemotherapy drugs 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 I trial to study the effectiveness of high-dose cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin plus amifostine in treating children who have malignant germ cell tumors. Read Less

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. 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. Cisplatin and paclitaxel may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) and giving them with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether giving radiation therapy together with combination chemotherapy is more effective than giving combination chemotherapy alone in treating head and neck cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying radiation therapy and combination chemotherapy to see how well they work compared to combination chemotherapy alone in treating patients with recurrent head and neck cancer that cannot be removed by surgery. 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: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and docetaxel, 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. Cisplatin and docetaxel may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) together with radiation therapy before surgery may shrink the tumor so it can be removed. Giving chemotherapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. It is not yet known whether giving cisplatin and docetaxel together with radiation therapy is more effective than giving cisplatin together with docetaxel in treating non-small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying cisplatin, docetaxel, and radiation therapy to see how well they work compared to cisplatin and docetaxel in treating patients who are undergoing surgery for newly diagnosed stage III 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 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 plus peripheral stem cell transplantation in treating women who have metastatic breast 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. It is not yet known which chemotherapy regimen is more effective for ovarian or peritoneal cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of two regimens of paclitaxel plus cisplatin in treating patients who have residual disease after surgery to remove stage III or stage IV ovarian cancer or primary peritoneal 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 and giving drugs in different ways may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether intravenous two-drug combination chemotherapy is more effective than intravenous and intraperitoneal infusions of three-drug combination chemotherapy for treating primary peritoneal or stage III epithelial ovarian cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of intravenous two-drug combination chemotherapy with intravenous and intraperitoneal three-drug combination chemotherapy in treating patients who have primary peritoneal or stage III epithelial ovarian 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 gemcitabine plus cisplatin in treating patients who have primary ovarian epithelial cancer or primary peritoneal cancer that is recurrent or has not responded to platinum-based chemotherapy. 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 cisplatin plus gemcitabine in treating patients with advanced squamous cell head and neck cancer that cannot be treated by surgery or radiation therapy. 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 chemotherapy with radiation therapy may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of paclitaxel and cisplatin plus radiation therapy followed by filgrastim in treating patients who have recurrent head and neck cancer or lung cancer. 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. Interferon alfa may interfere with the growth of cancer cells. Combining chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and interferon alfa may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of cisplatin plus interferon alfa followed by surgery and interferon alfa plus radiation therapy in treating patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Estrogen can stimulate the growth of tumor cells. Hormone therapy using tamoxifen and megestrol may fight endometrial cancer by blocking the absorption of estrogen. It is not yet known whether chemotherapy is more effective than hormone therapy in treating endometrial cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy with that of hormone therapy in treating patients who have recurrent, stage III, or stage IV endometrial cancer. Read Less