Active clinical trials for "Bile Duct Neoplasms"

Capecitabine is a chemotherapy drug used to treat many types of cancer including bowel and stomach cancer. Unfortunately a side effect of this drug is that it causes heart problems including heart attacks. An alternative drug, called teysuno is used extensively in other countries instead of capecitabine and appears to have less of a bad effect on the heart whilst still killing cancer cells. This study will investigate the effect of these two drugs on the heart and blood vessels and will be the first of its kind in humans.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine hydrochloride and oxaliplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Erlotinib hydrochloride may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving gemcitabine hydrochloride and oxaliplatin together with erlotinib hydrochloride may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of erlotinib hydrochloride when given together with gemcitabine hydrochloride and oxaliplatin in treating patients with advanced biliary tract cancer, pancreatic cancer, duodenal cancer, or ampullary cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as capecitabine and gemcitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Specialized radiation therapy that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving capecitabine together with gemcitabine followed by capecitabine and radiation therapy works in treating patients with cholangiocarcinoma of the gallbladder or bile duct.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving chemotherapy together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of gemcitabine when given together with radiation therapy in treating patients with locally advanced upper gastrointestinal cancer.

RATIONALE: Biliary stenting is the placement of a tube in the bile ducts to keep a blocked area open. Photodynamic therapy uses a drug, such as porfimer sodium, that is absorbed by tumor cells. The drug becomes active when it is exposed to light. When the drug is active, tumor cells are killed. It is not yet known whether biliary stenting is more effective with or without photodynamic therapy in treating patients with biliary tract tumors. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying biliary stenting to see how well it works compared with biliary stenting and photodynamic therapy using porfimer sodium in treating patients with locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma or other biliary tract tumors that cannot be removed by surgery.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine hydrochloride and oxaliplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Observation is watching a patient's condition but not giving treatment until symptoms appear. It is not yet known whether giving gemcitabine hydrochloride together with oxaliplatin is more effective than observation in treating patients with biliary tract cancer that has been removed by surgery. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying giving gemcitabine hydrochloride together with oxaliplatin to see how well it works compared with observation in treating patients with biliary tract cancer that has been removed by surgery.

The purpose of this study is to test an investigational combination of drugs for bile duct or gallbladder cancers. Gemcitabine and cisplatin are two forms of chemotherapy commonly used in combination to treat bile duct and gallbladder cancers. We are looking to improve treatment results. We will attempt to do so by adding sorafenib (a type of monoclonal antibody) to your treatment plan. Sorafenib acts by attaching to blocking specific targets on cells. These targets may help the cancer cells grow and divide. This study will help answer the question of whether sorafenib is a helpful drug in patients with bile duct or gallbladder cancers when given with gemcitabine and cisplatin. This study is a phase 2 study. The purpose of a phase 2 study is to find out what effects, good and/or bad, sorafenib in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin has on advanced bile duct and gallbladder cancers.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as capecitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving capecitabine after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. Sometimes, after surgery, the tumor may not need more treatment until it progresses. In this case, observation may be sufficient. It is not yet known whether capecitabine is more effective than observation in treating biliary tract cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying capecitabine to see how well it works compared with observation in treating patients with biliary tract cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin and gemcitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Erlotinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving oxaliplatin together with gemcitabine, erlotinib, and radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of oxaliplatin, gemcitabine, and erlotinib when given together with radiation therapy in treating patients with unresectable and/or metastatic pancreatic cancer or biliary tract cancer.

This phase II trial is studying how well sorafenib works in treating patients with unresectable or metastatic gallbladder cancer or cholangiocarcinoma. Sorafenib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth and by blocking blood flow to the tumor