3T MRI to Predict TACE Response of HCC
CarcinomaHepatocellularThis study is a prospective clinical study using DCE-MRI, DWI and MRS in 3T scanner to evaluate tumors in patients with unresectable HCC after TACE. A total of 100 subjects will be recruited. MRI will be performed before TACE (day 0), day 14, and day 28 to assess the tumor responses. After day 28, all subjects will receive standard clinical care and be follow-up for 1 year. The imaging parameters will be compared among each MRI and correlate with patients' outcome. The investigators hypothesis that it might be helpful to combine DCE-MRI, DWI, and MRS for assessment of tumor response after TACE and predict patients' prognosis.
Observational Prospective Study on Chemoembolization With Doxorubicin for Unresectable Hepatocellular...
Liver Cell Carcinoma Non-resectableHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common type of cancer in men and the seventh in women and is the third most common cause of death from cancer worldwide. The overall incidence of HCC remains high in developing countries and is steadily rising in most industrialized countries. TACE with Doxorubicin-eluting beads (DEB-TACE) has recently been developed as a novel therapy option for HCC. In order to maximize its therapeutic efficacy, doxorubicin-loaded beads were developed to deliver higher doses of the chemotherapeutic agent and to prolong its permanence within the tumor. The comparison of efficacy and safety of TACE with drug-eluting microspheres in comparison with conventional TACE (cTACE) showed that response and time to progression in the group was significantly higher than that of the cTACE group. TACE with drug-eluting microspheres thus appears to be a feasible and promising approach to the treatment of HCC. This study's purpose is evaluating treatment efficacy, survival rate and safety of TACE using drug-eluting microspheres loaded with doxorubicin for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.
Environmental and Genetic Determinants of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC)
Nasopharyngeal CarcinomaNasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in southern China and Southeast Asia. While infection with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is believed to be necessary for the development of NPC, non-viral environmental factors have also been implicated to increase the risk of NPC including consumption of salted fish and other nitrosamine containing preserved foods, formaldehyde and wood dust exposure, and cigarette smoking. In addition to environmental factors, it is widely accepted that genetic susceptibility also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of NPC. Polymorphisms in genes involved in nitrosamine metabolism and DNA repair have been suggested to be associated with NPC risk, and various chromosomal regions linked to NPC development have been reported. These associations highlight the role of both environmental and genomic components in the etiology of NPC. There is a longstanding history of international collaborative studies to elucidate the role of environmental and genetic factors associated with NPC between investigators in Taiwan and the USA. A case-control study (375 cases; 327 controls) was conducted in the early 1990s, and a large multiplex family study that was completed in 2006 (358 families; 3,216 individuals). Results from these studies have provided some of the most comprehensive epidemiological evidence regarding factors linked to NPC development to date. As a next logical step, the opportunity now exists to undertake a genome-wide association study of NPC in Taiwan with carefully collected environmental exposure data to systematically examine environmental and genetic factors associated with NPC, and to evaluate gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. The investigators propose a case-control study of 2000 NPC cases (both retrospective [n=800] and prospective [n=1,200]) and 2,000 age-gender-matched hospital controls in northern Taiwan. The study objectives are to: 1) evaluate putative environmental exposures and NPC; 2) assess the effect of genetic factors, including both single nucleotide polymorphism and copy number variation through analysis of both main effect and gene-gene interaction; 3) investigate gene-environment interactions by testing for interactions between significant genome-wide genetic variations and EBV and other identified environmental risk factors; and 4) examine the natural history of EBV infection.
Genetics of Women With Lobular Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast
Breast CancerRATIONALE: Gathering information about genetic changes in patients with lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast may help doctors learn more about the disease and find better methods of treatment. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying the genetics of women with lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast.
The Risk of Exacerbation of Chronic Hepatitis B After Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatocellular...
Hepatitis BHepatocellular CarcinomaThis study aim to find out the risk of exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or hepatectomy for HCC, and it's effect to treatment outcome.
Study of Biomarkers in Blood and/or Tumor Tissue Samples From Patients With Ductal Carcinoma in...
Breast CancerRATIONALE: Studying genes in samples of blood and/or tumor tissue from patients with cancer may help doctors identify biomarkers related to cancer. PURPOSE: This research study is looking at blood and/or tumor tissue samples from patients with ductal carcinoma in situ and blood samples from healthy volunteers.
Vestibular Function After Chemoradiotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Nasopharyngeal CarcinomaNasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is usually treated with chemoradiotherapy. While the effects of this treatment on cochlear function is well characterized, its effect on vestibular function is not well studied. In this study the investigators will study the vestibular function of 50 patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy for NPC both before and after treatment in order to better define its effects. All patients will undergo a validated questionnaire (dizziness handicap index), posturography, audiometry and vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials.
Polymorphisms in Key Genes of Glycolytic Pathway: Influence on Radiosensitivity in Nasopharyngeal...
Nasopharyngeal CarcinomaSingle Nucleotide Polymorphisms1 moreWarburg effect is an important feature of tumors,and genetic variation is one of the main factors of individual differences to radiotherapy treatment response for nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC). Through the previous work investigators found that the p53 codon72 (Pro/Arg) was related to the prognosis of NPC; Using the method of proteomics, investigators discovered glycolysis related gene such as PGK1, ALDOA,was associated with radiosensitivity.Thus,with all the previous work,investigators hypothesize that the key gene polymorphisms in glycolytic pathway, such as p53 , influence the glycolytic pathway,which leads to differences in radiosensitivity of NPC. This projects will include 600 cases of patients with NPC to detect common glycolytic key genes polymorphisms. Besides,investigators correlate these factors with their radiosensitivity and prognosis.Then, prediction model will be established, and validation of the prediction model will be done. Using enzyme-labeling instrument ,comet assay and clonogenic assay,cytological experiments will further investigate the influence of key gene polymorphisms on the glycolysis efficiency and mechanism of radiation sensitivity.Thus,investigators could provide theoretical basis of individualized treatment for NPC.
Intraoperative Detection of Residual BCC by Fast Raman
CarcinomaBasal Cell1 moreThe main objective of this research is to develop a new scanning technology called the Fast Raman device, to accurately check the skin removed by the surgeon and detect any residual cancer cells; if found, additional skin can then be removed by surgeons on the same day. The device will be tested first for patients undergoing Mohs micrographic surgery, then be extended to wide-local excisions of basal cell carcinoma (BCC). This study will determine the validity (sensitivity/specificity) and reliability (inter- and intra-user variability) of the Fast Raman device for checking the completeness of tumour removal during Mohs micrographic surgery of BCC.
Metabolomic Profiling in Renal Cell Carcinoma
Renal Cell CarcinomaAntiangiogenics are the mainstay of treatment in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Conventional clinical end-points, used to measure efficacy with chemotherapeutic agents, have not been helpful in monitoring the efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy. Increasing numbers of predictive and pharmacodynamic biomarkers are being investigated that are useful surrogates for clinical response and also to identify patients early on who will benefit from this class of agents. This is valuable in avoiding unnecessary toxicity in patients and also in reducing cost implications of this expensive group of drugs. The investigators wish to explore the variability of baseline metabolomic profile in the blood and urine of patients with mRCC and characterise the inter-subject and intra-subject variability. The study of the baseline levels has not been performed in this cohort previously. This is extremely important in interpreting the emerging data of changes in the levels of the various biomarkers from various trials. This will in turn help in the development of future targeted therapies, especially Phase I/II studies where an early demonstration of target modulation is vital. This study will also help to identify the number of patients required for appropriate statistical evaluation in pharmacodynamic studies to assess biological activity, optimisation of dosing, and investigation of potential mechanisms of resistance. Study of the urinary and blood metabolomic profile in conjunction will give us an insight into the potential use of urine as a diagnostic and prognostic tool. OBJECTIVES GOAL The main objective of the study is to determine the change from baseline in metabolomic profiling in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma 1 month after nephrectomy or antiangiogenic treatment during 2 months