Active clinical trials for "Esophageal Neoplasms"

To determine the most efficacious of two combination regimens of sequential CPT-11 and MMC in patients with advanced and previously untreated esophageal and GE junction adenocarcinomas.

Surgery has been the standard of care for esophageal cancer for many years, with limited success. At present, several studies are underway nationwide which utilize chemotherapy combined with radiation therapy prior to the usual surgical regimen. Although this treatment offers some possibility for improvement of patients with esophageal cancer, there remains a significant need for development of new drugs that can substantially impact survival Investigators at the University of Michigan have been evaluating inhibitors of tumor blood vessel growth (angiogenesis). Specifically, they are evaluating the role of copper in angiogenesis. Copper has been shown to be both a requirement and a potent stimulus for angiogenesis. Previous studies have shown Tetrathiomolybdate (TM) to rapidly lower copper levels in the blood. The physicians at the University of Michigan are studying whether the addition of TM to the chemoradiation and surgery may increase survival for patients with esophageal cancer.

Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as 3-AP and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. 3-AP may help cisplatin kill more cancer cells by making them more sensitive to the drug. This phase II trial is studying how well giving 3-AP together with cisplatin works in treating patients with recurrent or metastatic adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. It is not known whether high-dose radiation therapy is more effective than standard dose radiation therapy in treating cancer of the esophagus. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy plus high- or standard-dose radiation therapy in treating patients with cancer of the esophagus.

This phase II trial is studying how well bortezomib with or without irinotecan works in treating patients with gastroesophageal junction or stomach cancer that can not be removed by surgery. Bortezomib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for tumor cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy such as irinotecan use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining bortezomib with irinotecan may kill more tumor cells.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining chemotherapy with radiation therapy after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells following surgery. It is not yet known which chemotherapy and radiation therapy regimen is more effective in treating stomach or esophageal cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare two different chemotherapy and radiation therapy regimens in treating patients who have undergone surgery for stomach or esophageal cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of decitabine in treating patients who have unresectable lung or esophageal cancer or malignant mesothelioma of the pleura.

RATIONALE: Vaccines may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining vaccine therapy with chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining vaccine therapy and chemotherapy in treating patients who have metastatic or locally recurrent stomach cancer or esophageal cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy in treating patients who have metastatic or recurrent cancer of the esophagus.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining docetaxel and irinotecan in treating patients who have advanced cancer of the esophagus or stomach.