Active clinical trials for "Neoplasms"

Uveal Melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adulthood. Eye preserving treatments can deliver equivalent life prognosis in the management of small and medium sized uveal melanomas, as compared to enucleation. Plaque radiotherapy has emerged as the most common eye-preserving treatment in the current management of uveal melanoma, but is complicated by visual loss in approximately 70% of patients at 10 years follow-up. Strategies for the prevention and early treatment of radiation retinopathy/maculopathy need to be developed to improve visual outcomes following plaque treatment. Ranibizumab (Lucentis) is the antigen binding fragment of a recombinant, humanized monoclonal antibody, which inhibits the activity of vascular endothelial growth factor A, a mediator in the development of choroidal neovascularization. Lucentis is commonly used in the eye for eye conditions such as age related macular degeneration. This study will investigate the possible benefit of Anti-VEGF therapy (Lucentis) in reducing the incidence of radiation complications following plaque radiation for uveal melanoma.

The aim of this study is to provide this investigational drug to patients who cannot be optimally treated with conventional therapies and to collect efficacy and safety data on the use of Metvix PDT in subjects with field actinic keratoses, large/multiple superficial basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) or Bowen's disease.

Spectrophotometric intracutaneous analysis (SIAscopy) is a new technique for imaging pigmented skin lesions and for diagnosing melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. The SIAscope is a portable system comprising of a laptop computer connected to a small handheld skin probe equipped with a light source. The skin lesion is interrogated with light of different wavelengths and the reflection spectra analysed by proprietary algorithms showing distribution, position and quantity of melanin, blood and collagen within the papillary dermis (the SIAgraphs). Earlier studies generated promising results and documented >80% specificity and sensitivity of SIAscopy for melanoma diagnosis. It has been suggested that this technique could be used for the initial screening and selection of pigmented lesion for excision. In this work we addressed the usefulness of SIAscopy for the clinical diagnosis of pigmented malignant melanoma in a prospective, blinded design.

Eighty percent of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) have renal angiomyolipomata. These lesions grow and can lead to significant morbidity by hemorrhage or renal failure. Understanding the natural history of these lesions and understanding which lesions may be more prone to grow quickly or develop aneurysms that predispose to hemorrhage will greatly assist clinical care of patients with TSC. The objective is to test the hypothesis that serial MR and CT imaging will allow objective, reproducible quantification of angiomyolipoma growth by volumetric analysis, and analysis of lesions characteristics will identify angiomyolipomata with rapid growth potential that would require intervention. The specific aim of this proposal is to collect clinically obtained serial abdominal imaging from the Tuberous Sclerosis Natural History Consortium Centers and analyze the volume and adiposity of the individual angiomyolipomata. The growth rate is hypothesized to have an inverse relationship to adiposity. Yearly renal MR or CT imaging will be performed of patients with TSC. The images will be coded at the site of acquisition, and transferred via VPN to a secure server at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Using innovative imaging processing software (Cincinnati Children's Hospital Image Processing Software (CCHIPS), the image data will be segmented to reveal various tissue components based on signal intensities. Different signal intensities can differentiate normal renal parenchyma, and renal angiomyolipomata. Using the imaging data and the novel software, the volume of an individual angiomyolipoma, as well as the adiposity will be determined. Imaging at enrollment (year 1) will serve as baseline. At years two and three, the lesions will undergo repeat analysis. Angiomyolipoma growth rates and adiposity over three years will be analyzed to test the hypothesis above.

The primary objective of this study is to examine transplant related mortality (TRM) at 100 days <30%. A TRM of >50% is considered unacceptable. This study also seeks a TRM at 12 months that is <50%, engraftment >90% (defined as donor cells >80% at 6 months), and 1 year overall survival >50%.

Primary Objectives: To determine whether high-risk sexual behaviors are more common in patients with oropharyngeal cancer than in patients with head and neck cancers of other sub-sites. To determine if high-risk sexual behaviors are more common in patients with HPV (human papillomavirus) associated head and neck cancer than those without evidence of HPV-16 infection.

The hypothesis of this research project is that topical application of the anti-EGFR or anti-E6/E7 contrast agents followed by optical imaging will yield images that reflect spatial variations in expression that correlate with the presence of cervical precancer. To gather feasibility data the investigators will: Obtain cervical specimens from women with high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HGSILs) being treated with the loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). After Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) is performed, obtain low and high resolution optical images before and after applying contrast agents topically to the epithelial surface of the tissue for 30 minutes before rinsing. Submit the specimen for histology, and have it sectioned and stained using both H&E and immunohistochemical staining for EGFR or E6/E7. The images will be reconstructed into a two dimensional map delineating areas of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) and of EGFR or E6/E7 overexpression. Maps of the pathology will be compared to those obtained from the intact cervix exposed to the contrast agent.

Among women with HNPCC, this study will assess: Knowledge of screening recommendations for endometrial and ovarian cancers. Perceived risk and cancer worries regarding endometrial, ovarian and colorectal cancers. Adherence to screening recommendations for endometrial, ovarian and colon cancers. Perceived benefits,supports and barriers to endometrial and ovarian cancer screening. Patterns of communication about endometrial and ovarian cancer risk within families with HNPCC and with health care providers. Patient preferences for potential cancer screening and cancer prevention strategies related to HNPCC-associated cancers.

Chart Review of patients with pancreatic cancer treated with combination of irinotecan, oxaliplatin and cetuximab.

This is an observational study designed to follow patients with metastatic or locally advanced and unresectable colorectal cancer who are receiving Avastin in combination with chemotherapy and whose cancer has been either previously untreated or treated <=4 months prior to enrollment.