Active clinical trials for "Neoplasms"

We are interested in patient-specific factors that may affect the balance of recipient cells and donor cells in patients who receive stem cell transplants. We will look at the way the patient's body breaks down two drugs, fludarabine and mycophenolate mofetil, and how these two drugs affect the patient's body.

Primary Objectives: To evaluate knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and values that influence perceptions and utilization of colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) among first-degree relatives of Hispanic CRC patients. To assess factors influencing Hispanic CRC patients' communication of CRC risk and screening information to their FDRs. Secondary Objective: 1) To establish the feasibility of recruiting Hispanic CRC patients and their FDRs from the institutional patient database and/or MDACC clinics.

The purpose of this study is to establish a neuroendocrine tumor registry. A registry is a collection of information. To create this registry, the investigators would like to get information, blood and tumor samples from people with neuroendocrine tumors. By collecting this information and material, the investigators are hoping to learn more about the genetic causes of neuroendocrine tumors. All of this will help us to better understand neuroendocrine cancer, so the investigators can find better ways to treat and diagnose this disease. DNA will be taken from the blood samples and will be used in future studies. This will be an important resource from which the investigators can study genes that may be related to a higher risk of neuroendocrine tumors. The information collected will include medical information, family history of cancer and your answers to questions about how the cancer affects quality of life.

Background: Endometrial and ovarian cancers are, respectively, the fourth and eighth most common cancers among women in the United States. Although some routine Pap tests may detect the presence of cancer cells, there are no convincing early detection approaches for either cancer. Better methods of detection are needed. Two possible methods for cancer detection involve samples taken with a tampon or a special kind of brush, called a Tao brush. Researchers would like to know more about how well these methods work. Objectives: To assess the quality of DNA collected by the tampon and Tao brush sampling methods. To detect genetic markers in collected DNA and determine if these markers are related to an individual s cancer status. Eligibility: Women age 45 years and older with confirmed or suspected endometrial or ovarian cancer, who will be having surgery. A control group of postmenopausal women having surgery for benign gynecological conditions will be included. Design: Shortly before hysterectomy or more extensive procedures to treat either cancer or the benign condition: A tampon will be inserted into the vagina to collect cell samples, and removed after 30 minutes. After the tampon is removed, the cervix will be swabbed with the Tao brush to collect cell samples. Following the hysterectomy, samples of healthy and cancerous tissue will be taken, and tested by researchers.

The major goal of this project is to reduce unnecessary pancreatic resections, namely resection in those patients with non-regional lymph node metastatses that cannot be cured with surgical resection. By combined minimally invasive methods for non-surgical biopsy and highly sensitive molecular assays for cancer cells, we believe we can increase the ability to detect distant lymph node metastases prior to surgical resection, and direct those patients for more appropriate therapy (including possible neo-adjuvant chemotherapy with or without surgery). We hypothesize that the combination of EUS-FNA and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of a multimarker panel will increase the sensitivity for malignant lymph nodes compared with EUS-FNA cytology in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

The goal of this observational research study is to establish a registry of information regarding how different physicians treat and manage patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Objectives: To describe variation in management of patients with GIST, overall and by patient and provider characteristics. To provide participating physicians with information regarding management of their patients with GIST compared to the aggregate experience of all physicians participating in the Registry.

The purpose of this study is to collect specimens to perform metabolic profiling of serum and urine from patients with colorectal cancer, colon polyps and healthy patients.

To see if a limited sampling of tumor tissue from human subjects is a feasible way to gather adequate tissue for cancer stem cell quantification.

Patients over the age of 18 with thyroid nodules scheduled for surgery will undergo EIS scan. Each node will be scanned and graded form 1-5 (1=benign, 5=malignant). Results will be compared with final histopathology.

The aim of this study is to identify which ultrasonographic feature or a combination of features is the best predictor of thyroid cancer in thyroid nodules.