Paclitaxel Treatment Options in Maryland

This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of micellar paclitaxel for treating severe psoriasis. Paclitaxel in another formulation (Taxol) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in patients with cancer. This drug can decrease growth of cancer cells and of new blood vessels. Because patients with psoriasis have an increase in skin cell and blood vessel growth, paclitaxel may also improve their condition. The dose of drug used in this study is much lower than those used to treat cancer patients and is expected to cause relatively few side effects. Patients 18 to 70 years of age with psoriasis lesions affecting at least 20% of their skin may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a history and physical examination, blood and urine tests, electrocardiogram, and possibly an exercise stress test. Participants will receive six intravenous (through a vein) infusions of paclitaxel over a 6-month period. Each infusion will take about 2 hours. Patients will stay in the clinic for observation for at least 1 hour before going home and will return to the clinic for follow-up examination and tests one week after each infusion. However, on weeks 0 and 8 visit will last for approximately 8 hours and will require a return to the clinic the following morning. Blood collection will be performed during the week 0 and 8 visits to determine how fast Micellar Paclitaxel is eliminated from your body. Approximately 2 teaspoons of blood will be taken prior to the infusion, twice during the infusion, and eight times during the 22 hours following the infusion for a total of eleven samples. These return visits will last approximately 1-2 hours. Patients will have the following procedures: 1. A skin biopsy (removal of a small tissue sample for microscopic examination) will be done at the first visit (week 0) and again at weeks 6, 14 and 22. The area of the biopsy will be numbed with an anesthetic, and a small circle of skin about the width of a pencil eraser and half as deep will be cut and lifted away. Stitches will be placed and removed 1 to 2 weeks later. 2. A history and physical examination will be done at every visit. Patients will be interviewed about changes in their skin condition and about treatment side effects and will be examined by a nurse or physician. 3. Blood and urine samples will be collected at frequent intervals (nearly every visit) to test for side effects. 4. Photographs of the skin will be taken at the first visit and at several later visits to document changes in psoriasis. 5. A blood sample will be drawn for genetic testing to look for gene changes in people with psoriasis. 6. An electrocardiogram will be taken at the last visit. This will be done at week 24 and compared to the screening EKG. 7. Gonadal toxicity monitoring will be started with all patients entered into the protocol as of May 2001. Blood will be drawn to measure Inhibit A for females and Inhibit B for males at weeks 0, 6, 14, and 22. Read Less

The objective of this trial is to determine the maximum tolerated dose and the toxicities of paclitaxel given as a short hour infusion in children with refractory malignancy. Read Less

Radiotherapy plus Single-Agent Chemotherapy/Radiosensitization. Irradiation of tumor and involved nodes using 4-6 MV photons (brachytherapy allowed to boost primary tumor; electrons allowed to boost posterior neck and massive adenopathy); plus Paclitaxel (Bristol-Myers), Taxol, TAX, NSC-125973. Read Less

This is a Phase II study of paclitaxel (Taxol R) administered as a 96-hour (4 day) continuous infusion followed by a bolus of cisplatin for previously untreated patients with stage III/IV or relapsed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The goal of this phase II study is to determine the response rate of this infusional paclitaxel and bolus cisplatin regimen in patients with advanced NSCLC. Read Less

Stage III patients may begin therapy prior to or following surgery. Patients with undrainable significant third space fluid collection (e.g., pleural effusions, ascites) are entered directly on Consolidation. Patients receive induction chemotherapy with methotrexate and fluorouracil every 2 weeks for 4 courses. Patients then receive two 3-week courses of consolidation therapy with cyclophosphamide, followed by daily granulocyte colony-stimulating factor until completion of leukapheresis. Patients next receive myeloablative doses of thiotepa followed by stem cell rescue and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. After hematopoietic reconstitution, patients receive 24-hour infusions of paclitaxel every 3 weeks for 4 doses, followed by doxorubicin or vinblastine every 3 weeks for 4 doses. Patients are then evaluated for additional therapy (surgery, radiotherapy, or hormonal therapy) as appropriate. Patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year, then every 6 months. Read Less

2-Drug Combination Chemotherapy Followed by Radiotherapy. Paclitaxel, TAX, NSC-125973; Cisplatin, CDDP, NSC-119875; followed by chest irradiation using 4-15 MV photons. Read Less

Two days prior to planned surgery, paclitaxel is infused IV over 24 hours. Patients will undergo cytoreductive surgery, to debulk tumor. Scope of procedure will vary with each patient, including a spectrum of possible procedures, such as splenectomy, liver resection, pancreatic resection or bowel resection. After cytoreductive surgery, continuous hyperthermic peritoneal perfusion (CHPP) surgery with cisplatin will begin by placing an influx and efflux catheters via abdominal wall. Perfusion rate of cisplatin is 1.5 L/min and the duration is 90 min. Postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy will begin 24 hours after CHPP surgery. Dose escalation will proceed after patients at a given dose level receive 3 courses. In order to properly evaluate hematoxicity, a minimum of 3 weeks will be required before dose escalation. MTD is either the dose level immediately below the level at which 2 of 6 patients in a cohort experience nonhematologic dose limiting toxicity (DLT) or when 4 of 6 patients experience hematologic DLT. Two to 4 months after surgery, laparotomy will be conducted to determine response to treatment. If tumor size is decreased, patients will undergo a second treatment course identical to the same techniques and chemotherapy agents. Read Less