Paclitaxel Treatment Options

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

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 purpose of this study is to collect information on what effects (good or bad) CT-2103 (Xyotax) has on breast cancer as well as any side effects the drug may cause. Read Less

This study is being done to learn what effects (good and bad) bevacizumab in conjunction with carboplatin/paclitaxel and radiation therapy has on patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Read Less

In this trial, the safety of combination treatment of Adriamycin plus cyclophosphamide followed by Abraxane as adjuvant therapy will be evaluated in patients with limited stage breast cancer. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, oxaliplatin, leucovorin and 5-fluoruracil, work in different ways separately and in combination to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. The use of metronomic dosing of chemotherapy minimizes side effects and increases efficacy by anti-angiogenic effects. The pilot study demonstrated promising responses in all patients. It is not yet known how effective this drug and dosing combination is in treating advanced pancreatic cancer. PURPOSE: This non-randomized phase II trial is studying giving weekly doses of paclitaxel, oxaliplatin, leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil together as second or third-line therapy in treating patient with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas following demonstrated progression after first-line gemcitabine. Read Less

To evaluate the rate of complete pathological response after 3 cycles of gemcitabine containing chemotherapy. Read Less

The combination of docetaxel and gemcitabine has shown significant activity in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Several studies have activity in patients of multiple lines of therapy, including patients that have been treated with prior taxane therapy. Overall responses have ranged from 30% to 79%. The major side effects of the combination chemotherapy have been neutropenia, anemia, asthenia, neuropathy, nausea, mucositis, and neutropenic fever Read Less

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the overall safety and maximum dose of CI 1033 in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients with NSCLC. Read Less

Paclitaxel (Taxol, Bristol-Meyers Squibb) has been shown to be very effective against metastatic breast cancer, as well as other cancers. Because the Taxol formulation of paclitaxel is dissolved in Cremophor, an organic solvent containing castor oil, and ethanol, prolonged intravenous administration times are required; and because the solvent has caused hypersensitivity reactions, a premedication schedule is required. ABI-007 is a new anticancer medication containing the same active ingredient as Taxol, paclitaxel, but formulated as a protein-stabilized material that is suspended in salt water and administered intravenously. The time of administration is reduced, the dose of paclitaxel can be higher than is safe for Taxol, and there is no premedication required. This study will determine the efficacy of this new formulation of paclitaxel, as compared to Taxol, for patients with metastatic breast cancer. This is an open label comparative study, so patients will be randomly assigned to receive either the Taxol or ABI-007 forms of paclitaxel, but will know what medication they are receiving. Treatment will be repeated every three weeks unless adverse events or treatment failure require discontinuing study medication. Read Less

To determine response rate, median time to tumor progression, qualitative and quantitative toxicity and reversibility of toxicity in patients with advanced refractory AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) administered a 3-hour infusion of paclitaxel every 14 days. To evaluate the clinical benefit of paclitaxel in this patient population by evaluating self-reported responses to the Symptom Distress Scale and by documenting and evaluating any changes in their lymphedema, pain and disfiguring facial lesions. Read Less