Active clinical trials for "Lymphadenopathy"

The clinical study is aimed to prospectively evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and the safety of adding transbronchial mediastinal cryobiopsy to standard sampling in mediastinal diseases.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is paramount in the diagnosis and evaluation of cancers involving the gastrointestinal tract. EUS allows for the acquisition of cellular (fine needle aspirate - FNA) or tissue biopsy (fine needle biopsy - FNB) for diagnostic purposes. This has traditionally been done with fine needle aspirate where a needle is inserted into the tumor and potentially malignant cells are extracted for microscopic analysis. More recently, a needle that allows a tissue biopsy for histologic analysis has been FDA approved. The Echotip Procore (Cook Medical) core biopsy needle (ETP), has been demonstrated to provide excellent efficacy for core biopsy samples. Final diagnostic yield using this needle ranges from 80-90% and appears to be significantly greater than EUS-FNA for lesions requiring histology for diagnosis. However, there is currently only limited data from prospective studies comparing EUS-FNA to EUS-FNB with the ETP needle. The investigators propose a randomized, prospective, cross-over study comparing diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA to EUS-FNB.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether rapid on-site cytopathologic evaluation (ROSE) can increase the diagnostic yield of transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) in the diagnosis of hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is the minimally invasive diagnostic modality for the evaluation of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes (LNs). Traditionally, EBUS-TBNA is performed using either 21 gauge (G) or 22 G needle with a major limitation of inadequate sample especially when histologic assessment of tissue architecture is necessary such as in lympho-proliferative disorders and granulomatous inflammation. Although the specimen obtained with larger bore 19 G needle has been shown to be superior in terms of more cellular material and ability to subclassify malignant disease, it has more bloody samples. Recently a novel 22 G fine needle biopsy device (EBUS-FNB) has been introduced for endobronchial use after an experience gained from gastroenterology endoscopic ultrasound reporting high yield for core biopsies. FNB device has a unique design with 3 symmetrical, fully formed, cutting heels with 3 angled points to provide acquisition of FNB specimen in the form of a core tissue which might improve the overall diagnostic yield. Herein, investigators will study the diagnostic yield and safety of the 22 G EBUS-FNB needle with 19 G EBUS needle in the evaluation of mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy.

Internal biliary drainage is an useful method for a control of jaundice and cholangitis to patients who had a malignant hilar obstruction due to hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, gall bladder cancer or metastatic lymphadenopathy. Bilateral biliary drainage is more physiologic but technically difficult to compared with unilateral biliary drainage specially related to conformability and flexibility between using stents. There are no prospective clinical trials compared with these internal biliary drainage methods in hilar malignant obstruction using metal stent. Therefore, the investigators want to compare the clinical outcome of two method: Unilateral biliary stent and Bilateral biliary stent

Lymph node metastasis is one of the most common sites to develop disease recurrence or progression after initial local treatment for primary solid malignancies or systemic treatment for advanced metastases. No specific treatment modality has been established as the standard therapy. Systemic therapy is usually considered since lymphadenopathy is considered as a sign of disease dissemination though aggressive local treatment, including surgical lymphoadenectomy or radical radiotherapy might result in long-term survival in selected patients. The concept of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), a high dose of radiation targeted to a pathological entity and delivered in a few fractions, has proven so successful at treating both benign and malignant lesions that it changed the paradigm for radiation therapy. The radiobiology of SABR has been shown to be very favorable for tumor control. Clinical experiences suggested that SABR might offer excellent in-field tumor control with low toxicity profile in selected patients, although the majority of reports are retrospective and include small patients series with heterogeneous tumor sites and dose-fractionation schedules. At present, there is lack of validated prognostic factors to identify the patients who might benefit most from ablative local therapy for metastatic lymph node(s). The mechanism of effect of SABR on the cancer lesions is not yet clear. Apart from its direct effect on clonogenic cancer cells, an immune-mediated process was also hypothesized. Therefore, the present study is aimed to provide a better understanding about utilization of SABR for metastatic lymph node(s). The associated translational researches will also advance our knowledge in the immune system reactions to SABR.

The primary objective of this proposed prospective randomized, multi-center study is to evaluate the capability of the new 22G SharkCore™ needle to obtain tissue specimens and to compare its performance against the standard 22G BNX Endoscopic Ultrasound Fine needle aspiration (Beacon Endoscopic, Newton, MA) needle in the evaluation of solid mass lesions in the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract. The secondary objective is to determine the ability of the 22G SharkCore™ needle system to yield histologic tissue.

ROLE OF SUCTION IN EUS-FNA: Current suction technique involves suctioning the aspirate into the needle that has an air column. The needle is not flushed with any liquid prior to passing into the desired solid lesion. Suction is applied when the needle is within the lesion leading to aspiration of tissue into the needle. This is the standard technique and some have done with and without the stylet. There are some data that favor non use of a stylet. WET SCTION TECHNIQUE: Wet suction technique involves flushing the needle with 1-2 cc of saline to replace the column of air with saline. The needle is now passed into the desired lesion. Suction is applied at maximal strength and needle moved back and forth within the lesion to obtain as aspirate. Drops of saline can be seen moving into the suction syringe as the aspirate moves into the needle. Needle is now withdrawn and aspirate delivered on to a slide by using a stylet and or flushing air into the needle with a syringe. HYPOTHESIS The effect of suction for the purpose of aspirating cells and / or tissue during fine needle biopsy may be significantly improved by filling the column of the needle with a less compressible fluid. The volume of vacuum being pulled may be negatively impacted by the expansion of air within the needle. Replacing the air with sterile saline may thus improve the suction transferred to the needle tip by ensuring that the full volume of the vacuum syringe is transferred to the distal tip of the needle. This effect would be most pronounced in larger gauge needles which would have a larger internal volume. An additional benefit of filling the needle with saline prior to aspiration is the speed of the pressure transfer. The theory is that the air in the needle may absorb some of the force of the sudden application of vacuum. A column of saline in the needle may increase the velocity of the pressure transfer providing more tissue and less blood.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is widely used in the diagnosis of mediastinal and hilar adenopathy as well as in staging in lung cancer patients. Many studies have confirmed the utility of EBUS-TBNA with high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the diagnosis of mediastinal and hilar adenopathy. 1-3 Less well reported has been the use of the EBUS bronchoscope to perform other procedures such as transbronchial biopsy (TBBx), endobronchial biopsy (EBBx), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and airway brushings. While not well reported in the medical literature, anecdotal evidence supports these practices. The investigators propose a methodological evaluation of the full spectrum of procedures that have been performed and that are possible using an EBUS bronchoscope.

A randomized controlled clinical trial to compare the outcomes of SMA- and SMV- orientated laparoscopic right hemicoloectomy for right colon cancer with a medial-to-lateral approach