Active clinical trials for "Neoplasms"

This study involves observing the level of cell cycle regulatory gene in patients with myeloproliferative disorders(MPD). These disorders include polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), myelofibrosis (MF) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The abnormal blood and/or bone marrow cells, or materials derived from these abnormal cells, like DNA, RNA, protein or plasma will be used in laboratory studies. Cell cycle regulatory protein such as cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases(Cdks) and Cdk inhibitors(CKIs) play indispensable roles in processes such as transcription, metabolism and stem cell self-renewal. MPD are a group of diseases characterized by abnormally increased proliferation of erythroid, megakaryocytic, or granulocytic cells. The pathogenesis was still unclear. Detecting the level of cell cycle regulatory protein will be useful to look for the possible role in MPD and better understand the cause of MPD.

For this study the investigators are looking to do the following: To characterize human lung lesions by nonlinear microscopy using ex vivo tissues. To establish the first spectral/structural database for nonlinear optical microimaging of normal and abnormal lung tissue.

Background: Patients treated for rectal cancer are in high risk of developing poor quality of life and faecal incontinence. Faecal incontinence has a negative impact on quality of life. However, there is limited knowledge on how to prevent it. Known exposures are ; age at surgery, gender, tumor height, pre-operative radiotherapy, surgical technique and temporary stoma. In order to evaluate the underlying mechanisms of faecal incontinence, it is central to evaluate the anorectal muscle function for sensory and motor impairment. Exposures representing different constructs in the biopsychosocial model are likewise likely to be associated with quality of life and faecal incontinence. These exposures include sexual dysfunction, urinary incontinence, fatique, physical inactivity and finding meaning in life. There are to our knowledge, no records on these relationships from prior to surgery to 2 years after. These biopsychosocial exposures are central to include when developing strategies that can prevent poor quality of life and faecal incontinence for patients treated for rectal cancer. Purpose: The primary purpose of the EDFI-Cohort study is to determine how several variables (surgical technique, anorectal muscle function, faecal incontinence, urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, physical activity and finding meaning in life) develop over time and predicts quality of life. Secondary how it predicts LARS-score in patients with rectal cancer from prior to surgery to 2 years after primary treatment. Methods: We will include subjects diagnosed with rectal cancer and have received curative surgery (low anterior resection) with/without adjuvant (radiation/chemo) therapy. The cohort aim to recruit all eligible patients in a one year period. We estimate to recruit 70 patients. Self-reported outcomes will be collected with a series of validated questionnaires that subjects will be asked to complete 6 times during the two year study at 3, 6, 12, 26 78 and 104 weeks. Outcomes include: Quality of life using (EORTC QLQ-C30) (primary outcome), (CR29) and (FA12), bowel related quality of life (LARS-score) (secondary outcome), faecal incontinence (Vaizey score), urinary incontinence (ICIQ-UI), (MLUTS/FLUTS) and (MLUTSsex/FLUTSsex), physical activity level from Danish National Health Profile and finding meaning in life (SOME). Objective measures will be collected at 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months and 24 months and include: Anorectal manometry that measures anorectal muscle function and rectal perception, a digital examination of anorectal muscle function using the Digital Rectal Examination Scoring System (DRESS) and the six-minute walk test a measure of submaximal exercise capacity. We plan to analyze the EDFI-Cohort study as repeated measures with both simple and multiple linear regression models for the continuous data. We plan to adjust for known confounders and variables related to treatment.

We conducted a preliminary study in 2010 using the innovative Illumina GoldenGate (methylation assay) which has enabled us to characterize the level of methylation of 807 potential markers on a series of 200 adenocarcinomas of the colon (C18) and rectosigmoid junction (C19) resected between 1998 and 2001. The results, validated by pyrosequencing, allowed us to establish a panel of 12 markers to assess the level of methylation. The aim of this project is to validate the prognostic value of this panel in a second cohort of patients with adenocarcinomas (stage I to IV) resected between 2002 and 2006 in public and private hospitals (n=685). This study relies on an original collection of surgical specimens of colorectal cancers resected in public and private hospitals among patients resident in the département of Côte-d'Or and followed by the cancer registry of Burgundy. Samples obtained from each cancer and from adjacent normal mucosa are stored in liquid nitrogen in the Ferdinand Cabane Biological Resources Centre(certified S 96900). Annotations are collected by the cancer registry staff from multiple sources (pathologists, gastroenterologists, oncologists and radiotherapists). Pyrosequencing will be used to quantify the level of methylation. The percentage of methylated allele for each marker on cancerous DNA and the ratio of methylated markers to the number of markers analyzed will be determined. The molecular status of MSI, BRAF, KRAS, and PI3K will be taken into consideration. To study the prognosis, relative and relapse free-survival will be calculated. A multivariate relative survival analysis will be performed to determine independent prognostic factors taking into account the characteristics of patients and tumours and epigenetic and molecular alterations. Epigenetic alterations will be described according to age group, sex and subsite. The epigenetic phenotypes will be evaluated according to already known molecular status using logistic regression models.

To collect tumor tissue from patients with liver masses suspicious for primary liver cancer. The research biopsy will be used to identify biomarkers in future studies.

To collect and store blood and biopsy samples obtained from CD or UC patients exposed to adalimumab and diagnosed with Hepatosplenic T-cell Lymphoma (HSTCL), for the purpose of identifying potential biomarkers and genetic mutations in patients who have developed HSTCL.

Collection of tissues for analysis from patients undergoing elective neck dissection. The hypothesis of the study is that specific genetic alterations occur in head and neck cancers that have spread to regional and/or distant sites, and these alterations can be identified from biopsy specimens to allow more accurate staging of tumor and better treatment planning.

Background: - Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) is a genetic disorder of the lymph system. People with ALPS often have swollen lymph nodes, especially in the neck and armpit. They also have a much higher risk of developing lymphoma. It is not always easy to determine whether the swollen lymph nodes are caused by ALPS or by lymphoma. Researchers want to see whether different imaging studies can show the difference between ALPS and lymphoma. The studies used will be positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT). Researchers will use a drug called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) to look at the lymph nodes. Objectives: - To see how well imaging studies can distinguish between swollen lymph nodes caused by ALPS or by lymphoma. Eligibility: Individuals must be 5 years of age or older and enrolled on the National Institutes of Health natural history study of ALPS. Participants should either have lymphoma or have symptoms that suggest possible lymphoma. Design: Participants will be screened with a physical exam and medical history. Blood and urine samples will be collected. Participants will have an FDG-PET/CT scan. It will be performed according to standard procedures. If the results of the scan do not show lymphoma, participants will stay on the study for 1 year for clinical follow up. They may have a second FDG-PET/CT scan if there is a change in symptoms. Such changes include further enlargement of lymph nodes, unexplained fevers, or weight loss. If the results of the scan show evidence of new or worsening lymphoma, treatment on this study will end. Further tests based on clinical symptoms, including a lymph node biopsy, may be done under the ALPS natural history study to rule out or make a diagnosis of lymphoma.

The purpose of this study is to assess the value of EarlyCDT-Lung test and CT scan both in lung cancer detection and potential health economic outcomes.

Most resectable tumors arising in the body or tail of the pancreas are malignancies or premalignancies which are surgically treated with distal pancreatectomy in combination with splenectomy. Retrieval of the lymph node tissue which lies along the splenic vessels is necessary to complete an oncologically sound operation. Two techniques for spleen preserving distal pancreatectomy have been described, but only a small number of lesions are amenable to spleen preserving pancreas surgery because these operation compromise oncologic principles. Removal of a normal spleen usually does not cause immediate consequences but can make patients vulnerable to life threatening infections. Asplenic patients must be vigilant for these infections and antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended anytime a fever occurs. Splenectomy results in measurable changes in the cellular components of the blood. If thrombocytosis occurs as a result of splenectomy, it requires life-long antiplatelet treatment. Some childhood hematologic disorders such as hereditary spherocytosis are successfully treated with partial splenectomy. The post-surgical remnant spleen has been shown to be viable and functional. Both hematologic and immunologic function of the spleen seems to be preserved in most patients. Partial splenectomy has also been successful ly employed to treat benign and malignant lesions of the spleen. Unfortunately these indications for surgery are rare and so the experience with partial splenectomy is small. To date, distal pancreatectomy with partial splenectomy has not been described in the medical literature. The investigators have devised a surgical procedure combining distal pancreatectomy with partial splenectomy, in principal allowing preservation of splenic function without compromise of oncologic principles. This procedure is possible now because of new technology which allows for near bloodless transection of solid organs. These instruments are routinely used in liver, kidney and pancreas surgery. There are scattered reports of successful use of these instruments in splenic transection, but there is no large experience to date. The study intends to answer the question, is the proposed procedure, distal pancreatectomy and partial splenectomy, a viable alternative to the current standard of care, distal pancreatectomy with total splenectomy, for patients who will undergo surgical treatment of pancreas lesions arising in the body or tail of the pancreas?