Paclitaxel Treatment Options in Michigan

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy such as paclitaxel, fluorouracil, and cisplatin 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 kill more tumor cells PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well combination chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy, with or without surgery, works in treating patients with resectable locally advanced cancer of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction. Read Less

RATIONALE: Biological therapies such as gefitinib may interfere with the growth of cancer cells and slow the growth of the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy such as carboplatin and paclitaxel use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining gefitinib with carboplatin and paclitaxel may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving gefitinib alone or together with carboplatin and paclitaxel works in treating older patients with unresectable or metastatic 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. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining chemotherapy and radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of radiation therapy when given with combination chemotherapy and to see how well they work in treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer that cannot be surgically removed. Read Less

The primary goal of this study is to determine if custirsen has an effect on the way the body distributes and gets rid of paclitaxel, the standard administered chemotherapy. The study will also evaluate if custirsen influences the way the body distributes and gets rid of carboplatin (another standard administered chemotherapy) and will measure custirsen blood levels in this cancer population. Finally, the study will evaluate the safety and tolerability of adding custirsen to the standard paclitaxel/carboplatin chemotherapy. Read Less

Taxol and carboplatin are commonly used drugs for the treatment of stage IIIB or IV non small cell lung carcinoma. This study compares treatment with Taxol/carboplatin given every 3 weeks to a schedule where it is given weekly. The purpose of the study is to determine the most effective and safe schedule for giving these drugs in non small cell lung carcinoma. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to test whether the use of advanced radiation therapy delivery techniques can spare a patient's normal tissue, including salivary glands, from radiation. This study is being done to try to reduce radiation side effects, especially mouth dryness, which happens with standard radiation methods. In order to reduce these side effects, other normal tissues may receive a different radiation dose (sometimes more) than what would have been received using standard radiation therapy. A secondary goal of this study is to determine if the type of tumor a patient has can be controlled at least as well (or better) using this advanced radiation therapy delivery technique as it would be if the patient was treated with standard radiation therapy. 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 whether cisplatin, etoposide, and paclitaxel are more effective than cisplatin and etoposide alone in treating patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of cisplatin plus etoposide with or without paclitaxel in treating patients with extensive-stage 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. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Computer systems that allow doctors to create a 3-dimensional picture of the tumor to plan treatment may result in more effective radiation therapy. It is not yet known which chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy regimen is more effective in treating non-small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to compare the effectiveness of different combination chemotherapy regimens and 3-dimensional radiation therapy in treating patients who have unresectable 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 more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of carboplatin and paclitaxel in treating patients who have metastatic or recurrent unresectable 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. Giving more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining gemcitabine and paclitaxel in treating patients who have advanced or recurrent cancer of the urinary tract. Read Less

This is a non-randomized Phase II study. Patients determined at initial diagnosis to have a carcinoma of unknown primary site (CUP) will have their treatment selected with the use of a molecular profiling assay. The assay will be performed on paraffin-embedded tumor tissue from a biopsy specimen. Patients given specific diagnoses (e.g., lung, pancreas, colon, breast, renal cell, prostate and ovarian cancer) will receive treatment regimens of proven activity. If no specific diagnosis is made with the molecular profiling assay, empiric chemotherapy with paclitaxel, carboplatin, bevacizumab and erlotinib will be administered. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in 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 kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy before, during, and after radiation therapy in treating patients who have limited-stage small cell lung cancer. Read Less