Cyclophosphamide Treatment Options in South Carolina

The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether breast cancer tumors respond (as measured by pathologic complete response: the absence of microscopic evidence of invasive tumor cells in the breast) to combined chemotherapy of AC(doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide) followed by paclitaxel plus trastuzumab or lapatinib or both given before surgery to patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Trastuzumab will also be given to all patients after surgery. The study will also evaluate the toxic effects of the chemotherapy combination, including effects on the heart, and will determine survival and progression-free survival 5 years after treatment. Also, the study will look at whether there are gene expression profiles in the tumor tissue that can predict pathologic complete response. Read Less

RATIONALE: Radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies, such as iodine I 131 tositumomab, can find cancer cells and carry cancer-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody together with rituximab and combination chemotherapy may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving iodine I 131 tositumomab together with rituximab and combination chemotherapy works in treating older patients with stage II, stage III, or stage IV B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Read Less

This study is for individuals with lupus who have developed complications in their kidneys, or lupus nephritis. The study will determine whether adding the experimental medication abatacept to standard cyclophosphamide therapy is more effective in improving lupus nephritis than standard cyclophosphamide therapy by itself. Read Less

RATIONALE: Vaccines made from a person's melanoma cells may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. Interferon alfa may interfere with the growth of the cancer cells. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of melanoma vaccine with that of interferon alfa-2b in treating patients who have stage III melanoma that has spread to regional lymph nodes following surgery. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining chemotherapy with bone marrow transplantation may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy drugs and kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy with or without bone marrow transplantation in treating patients who have acute lymphocytic leukemia. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Thalidomide may stop the growth of tumor cells by stopping blood flow to the tumor. It is not yet known if combination chemotherapy is more effective with or without thalidomide for multiple myeloma. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy with or without thalidomide in treating patients who have refractory multiple myeloma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy), and giving the drugs in different combinations may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well combination chemotherapy works in treating patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Read Less

This phase II trial studies how well giving imatinib mesylate together with chemotherapy and peripheral stem cell transplantation works in treating patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Imatinib mesylate may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for cancer cell growth. Giving imatinib mesylate together with chemotherapy and peripheral stem cell transplantation may be an effective treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving combination chemotherapy before surgery may shrink the tumor so that it can be removed. Giving combination chemotherapy after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well surgery and/or combination chemotherapy work in treating children with fibrosarcoma. 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. Combination chemotherapy plus surgery may be an effective treatment for neuroblastoma. PURPOSE: This phase III trial is studying how well combination chemotherapy followed by surgery works in treating young patients with neuroblastoma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Peripheral stem cell transplantation may allow doctors to give higher doses of chemotherapy and kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy followed by peripheral stem cell transplantation in treating children who have recurrent or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 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 radiation therapy with chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of etoposide plus radiation therapy followed by combination chemotherapy in treating children with newly diagnosed advanced medulloblastoma. Read Less