Active clinical trials for "Neoplasms"

This protocol has provided 3,4 diaminopyridine (DAP) under a treatment-use IND to patients with congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS). It is currently closed to enrollment.

The goal is to improve the efficiency of the diagnostic follow-up of patients with indeterminate pulmonary nodules by determining whether biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis that are measured in minimally invasive biospecimens are able to distinguish malignant from benign pulmonary nodules that are incidentally detected in high-risk smokers.

Ovarian cancer is deadly and generally diagnosed at late stage when the chances of survival are low. There is a current belief that this cancer starts in the fallopian tubes and progresses towards the ovaries, spreading to the cells on the surface. Within the fallopian tubes and the uterus, there is a constant flow of mucus which has only one exit through the cervix and out the vagina. Proteins that are generated within the entire female reproductive system are trapped into this viscous fluid and eventually released as waste. When a routine PAP test is performed, a sample of this mucus is collected along with any cells, and preserved in the PAP fluid. The fluid is currently discarded but contains a protein profile showing of the status of the cells in the female reproductive system. We have examined this fluid and found that it contains unique peptides/proteins that provide a diagnosis of ovarian cancer when compared against healthy controls. These markers will be initially refined using the comparison of ovarian cancer patients against those with benign adnexal masses that entered the clinic during the same time period. In this Phase II biomarker validation study we will further refine and validate these biomarkers using a new collection of samples from at least 200 ovarian cancer cases with epithelial ovarian cancer (endometroid and papillary serous histology, most common) and comparing these against 600 patients with a diagnosis of a benign adnexal mass that enter the clinics during the same time period. Patient samples will be collected on their first visit to the gynecologic oncologist at a number of collaborating clinics. Final processing of all of the samples will be performed within the proteomics research facilities of the Mitchell Cancer Institute using Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM, with mass spectrometry) based on the refined set of makers statistically selected within the first aim. Biomarkers validated within this study will be compared with the well accepted CA-125 data for the patients. The research involves a three year validation and may allow detection of this cancer at a very early stage when the survival is as high as 90%. One aim examines a self-taken test that could allow its use in medically underrepresented and rural areas.

We propose a tissue sample collection study for patients at UNC who have undergone or will undergo radiofrequency ablation therapy for Barrett's Esophagus (BE) or intramucosal adenocarcinoma as part of routine medical care. Purpose: To determine the prevalence of metaplasia and dysplasia in the gastric cardia before and after ablative therapy. To determine the incidence of cardiac metaplasia and dysplasia as a function of ablative therapy. To determine the correlation between dysplasia in the tubular esophagus, and dysplasia in the cardia. To assess the ability of immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of cardia tissues to predict incident dysplasia in the cardia. Several well-characterized biomarkers, including p16, p53, Ki67, cyclin D1, and cyclin A, will be assessed.

Patients with HNSCC represent a high-risk group for the development of SESCC. Thus, esophagogastrofibroscopy should be performed to detect possible synchronous esophageal carcinomas in these patients. Although only two patients with synchronous primary carcinomas were found among the patients with newly diagnosed HNSCC in this study, esophagoscopy and better some of advanced endoscopic methods should be recommended after detection of HNSCC to exclude secondary esophageal carcinoma or dysplasia. Staining of the esophagus with Lugol's solution is an easy and inexpensive option and can be done in most of gastroenterology offices.

As one of the few centers, MAASTRO also aggressively re-treats patients with recurrent non-small cell lung cancer. Even after primary radical treatment to high doses, re-irradiation (with concurrent chemotherapy) is also given in curative intent, thus again using high doses of radiation. Publications on high-dose re-irradiation of lung cancer patients are scarce, and outcome and toxicity for patients treated in MAASTRO are unknown at present. This study will provide knowledge on benefit and risks of such a therapeutic approach.

Objective: To test the sensitivity of a proprietary novel filtration device designed to capture and concentrate circulating tumor cells (CTCs).

Spinal intradural schwannoma detected incidentally increased recently. Because there is little knowledge about natural history of spinal schwannoma, there is no consensus of treatment. Our hypothesis is as follows; Some schwannomas keep growing, the others do not. Foraminal schwannomas do not usually grow. The investigators analyzed natural history and characteristics of 56 spinal schwannomas observed initially with accurate and reliable methods. Here the investigators displayed growing pattern and differential point of spinal schwannoma.

This pilot research trial studies factors affecting patient participation in Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Malignancy Clinical Trials Consortium clinical trials. Determining how patients makes decisions about participating in a clinical trial may help doctors plan clinical trials in which more patients are willing to participate and are satisfied with their decision to participate.

To evaluate the clinical benefit of spectrum analysis of endobronchial ultrasound images of lymph nodes during EBUS TBNA for lymph node staging in patients with lung cancer.