Paclitaxel Treatment Options in New Jersey

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Some tumors become resistant to chemotherapy drugs. Giving interferon alfa and isotretinoin together with paclitaxel may reduce resistance to the drug and allow the tumor cells to be killed. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving interferon alfa and isotretinoin together with paclitaxel works in treating patients with recurrent small cell lung cancer. Read Less

RATIONALE: Vaccines may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. 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. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving vaccine therapy together with bevacizumab after chemotherapy and radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects of giving BLP25 liposome vaccine together with bevacizumab after chemotherapy and radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed stage IIIA or stage IIIB non-small cell lung 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. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of paclitaxel plus gemcitabine in treating patients with refractory metastatic germ cell tumors that have not responded to surgery or 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, and giving them after surgery, may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy, consisting of paclitaxel and cisplatin, given after surgery in treating patients with cancer of the esophagus or stomach. 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, radiation therapy, and surgery may kill more tumor cells. E7296 was conducted to study neoadjuvant chemotherapy and postoperative chemoradiation therapy in patients diagnosed with high-risk gastric cancer using a new neoadjuvant regimen: paclitaxel plus cisplatin. It was hypothesized that this new neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery and chemoradiation therapy would be well tolerated and would have a high curative resection rate. 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 yet known whether methotrexate or paclitaxel is more effective in treating patients with advanced head and neck cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of methotrexate with that of paclitaxel in treating patients who have advanced head and neck cancer that cannot be treated with cisplatin. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Bevacizumab may also stop the growth of non-small cell lung cancer by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Pemetrexed disodium may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some enzymes needed for cell growth. It is not yet known whether giving bevacizumab or pemetrexed disodium alone or in combination is more effective in treating non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying bevacizumab and pemetrexed disodium alone or in combination after induction therapy to see how well they work in treating patients with advanced non-squamous 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 cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy in treating patients who have advanced cancer of the urothelium with decreased kidney function. 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. Biological therapies use different ways to stimulate the immune system and stop cancer cells from growing. It is not yet known which treatment regimen is more effective in treating metastatic prostate cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to compare the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy with that of chemotherapy plus biological therapy in treating patients who have progressive or metastatic prostate cancer that has not responded to hormone therapy. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of paclitaxel in treating patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck 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 chemotherapy drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of carboplatin combined with paclitaxel in treating patients who have advanced thymoma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of carboplatin and paclitaxel in treating patients with locally recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer. Read Less