Active clinical trials for "Carcinoma, Squamous Cell"

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of photodynamic therapy using HPPH in treating patients who are undergoing surgery for primary or recurrent head and neck cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses a drug, such as HPPH, that becomes active when it is exposed to a certain kind of light. When the drug is active, tumor cells are killed. Giving photodynamic therapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery.

In this research study we are looking to see how vulvar cancer responds to erlotinib therapy. Two distinct patient populations are targeted: women with locally advanced measurable squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva, primary or recurrent, who are candidates for definitive treatment with surgery or chemoradiation (Cohort 1) and women with radiographically measurable distant metastatic cancer either at time of presentation or with recurrence (Cohort 2). Another goal of this study is to learn more about the proteins and genes present in vulvar cancer and how they may affect response to erlotinib. Erlotinib treats cancer by preventing cancer cells from growing and multiplying. It does this by blocking certain proteins that are on the surface of some types of cancer cells. Laboratory tests show that vulvar cancer cells have high levels of these proteins.

The addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy (chemoradiation) has improved outcomes for patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck but additional improvements to treatment regimens are needed. The study is investigating if the addition of a targeted therapy (panitumumab) can improve the efficacy of chemoradiation without adding unmanageable toxicity.

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if RAD001 in combination with Tarceva (erlotinib hydrochloride) can help to control head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). The safety of this drug combination will also be studied.

This phase II trial studies how well pralatrexate and oxaliplatin work in treating patients with esophageal, stomach, or gastroesophageal junction cancer that cannot be removed by surgery or has spread from the primary site (place where it started) to other places in the body. Pralatrexate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving pralatrexate with oxaliplatin may be an effective treatment for esophageal, stomach, or gastroesophageal junction cancer.

The purpose of this study is to identify a dose of P276-00 that can be safely administered along with Radiation and to examine safety and efficacy of the combination in treatment of advanced head and neck cancer.

This is a study comparing the activity of lapatinib versus placebo followed by chemoradiation. This study is designed to explore the effects of lapatinib monotherapy on apoptosis/necrosis, in pre-treatment and post-treatment tumour tissue samples in subjects with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck.

This phase II trial is studying how well sunitinib works in treating patients with recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck cancer. Sunitinib 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.

This study is examining the effects of increasing the dose of radiation given to treat head and neck cancer. Radiation doses to the primary cancer are higher than usually given; lymph glands of the neck will also be treated at a lower dose. Surgery on the lymph glands my be necessary in the future. Radiation treatments given in small fractions twice a day allows a higher dose to be delivered than if the treatment was given once a day. This study will enroll patients at three sequential increasing dose levels. Approximately 40 patients will be enrolled at each dose level.

This phase III trial is studying how well radiation therapy, amifostine, and chemotherapy work in treating young patients with newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs, such as amifostine, may protect normal cells from the side effects of radiation therapy. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and fluorouracil, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving radiation therapy together with amifostine and chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells.