Cisplatin Treatment Options in Houston, TX

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Giving radiation therapy in different ways may cause less damage to normal tissue, prevent or lessen mouth dryness, and may help patients live more comfortably. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining chemotherapy with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of specialized radiation therapy techniques with or without chemotherapy in reducing mouth dryness in patients who have nasopharyngeal cancer. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as fluorouracil and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Interferon alfa may interfere with the growth of tumor cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation from x-rays and other sources to kill tumor cells. Combining chemotherapy with interferon alfa and giving them with radiation therapy after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and interferon alfa in treating patients who have resected stage I, stage II, or stage III pancreatic cancer. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine the maximum tolerated dose of ZD6474 given in combination with radiation or in combination with chemotherapy and radiation in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Read Less

1. To determine the outcome of patients with potentially resectable superior sulcus tumors of non-small cell histology treated by surgery followed by accelerated radiation therapy and chemotherapy. 2. To evaluate toxicity, the initial local-regional control rate, sites of and time to local and distant failures. Read Less

This study will compare the effects, good and/or bad, of chemotherapy (Gemcitabine and Cisplatin) with or without the addition of the chemotherapy drug Cetuximab to find out which treatment is better. Read Less

This is a randomized, open-label, multi-center study comparing the efficacy and safety of XRP9881 plus cisplatin to gemcitabine plus cisplatin in the first line treatment of locally advanced/metastatic urothelial tract or bladder cancer. The primary objective is to compare overall survival. Secondary objectives include comparisons of progression free survival, objective response rate, time to definitive deterioration of performance status, duration of response, time to definitive weight loss, and assessments of overall safety, and pharmacokinetics. Patients are treated until disease progression, death, or unacceptable toxicity and are followed-up until death or the end of the study whichever comes first. Read Less

This trial will investigate the activity of sunitinib combined with cisplatin and gemcitabine followed by radical cystectomy in patients with Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC) of the Bladder. Read Less

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn how well bladder cancer responds to a combination treatment with Avastin and M-VAC (methotrexate, doxorubicin, vinblastine, and cisplatin) before surgery to remove the tumor. Primary Objective: To estimate the response of patients with locally advanced urothelial cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy with a combination of Dose Dense Methotrexate, Vinblastine, Adriamycin, and Cisplatin (DD-M-VAC) plus Avastin followed by radical surgery with curative intent. In this context, response will be defined as the absence of residual muscle invasive cancer in the resected specimen (\<= pT1, N0.) Secondary Objective: To estimate the 4-year disease-free survival of patients with locally advanced urothelial cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy with DD-M-VAC plus Avastin followed by radical surgery with curative intent. Document perioperative morbidity and mortality in this cohort, with reference to well-established historical standards. Determine the effects of VEGF inhibition on angiogenesis and angiogenesis-related gene expression utilizing fluorescent tissue staining techniques that we have developed in the laboratory (such as two-color TUNEL, phospho-receptor, and microvessel density). Interrogate downstream receptor signaling pathways to provide insight into the development of chemotherapy resistance, and hence hypothesis for its prevention. Read Less

In a previous phase II study, patients with pathological stage IIIb (without pleural effusion) NSCLC were treated with concurrent cisplatin and etoposide plus thoracic radiotherapy followed by 3 cycles of consolidation therapy with docetaxel. Docetaxel was selected based upon a survival benefit in patients with recurrent NSCLC. This trial will evaluate the role of consolidation therapy with docetaxel in patients with unresectable stage III disease. The purpose of the trial is to evaluate survival and toxicities of the regimens employed. Read Less

Primary Objective: * To determine the maximum tolerated dose of the combination of cisplatin, imatinib mesylate, and pemetrexed in metastatic malignant mesothelioma. Secondary Objectives: * To explore the biologic effects of cisplatin, imatinib mesylate, and pemetrexed on tumor tissue by: * histologic analysis of biopsy tissue * by non-invasive assessments of tumor vascularity performed before, during and after treatment * electron microscopy analysis of endothelial cell architecture after patient treatment with imatinib mesylate * To explore the effects of cisplatin, imatinib mesylate, and pemetrexed on surrogate markers in serum. * To assess the rate of response to therapy. * To determine the doses of the combination regimen of cisplatin, imatinib mesylate, and pemetrexed that enables de-phosphorylation of platelet derived growth factor receptor (PDGF-R) on malignant mesothelioma tumor cells. * To determine the pharmacokinetic interaction between agents in this combination regimen. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy such as cisplatin and paclitaxel 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. Cisplatin and paclitaxel may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy and may kill any tumor cells remaining after surgery. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to study the effectiveness of cisplatin, paclitaxel, and radiation therapy with or without fluorouracil in treating patients who have stage IB, stage IIB, or stage IIIB stomach cancer that has been removed during surgery. 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 following surgery may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of chemotherapy plus radiation therapy in treating patients who have undergone surgery for stage III or stage IV head and neck cancer. Read Less