Active clinical trials for "Colonic Neoplasms"

Cetuximab, erlotinib, and panitumumab are all recently FDA approved epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors that treat a wide variety of tumor types, such as colon, lung, and head and neck. Blockade of the EGFR results in inhibition of multiple downstream pathways, leading to slowed tumor growth. In addition, these inhibitors may enhance anti-tumor immune responses through uncharacterized mechanisms. While producing significant responses in many settings, EGFR inhibitors also result in significant skin toxicity (rash) in a high percentage of patients. Multiple studies have correlated the presence and severity of rash with clinical response. Unfortunately, severe rash can often lead to dose delays, reductions, or even discontinuation of EGFR inhibitors, thus limiting their efficacy. The mechanism of both the rash and its correlation with tumor response is poorly understood. Skin biopsies display a robust leukocyte infiltrate, but a systematic analysis of the type of infiltrating leukocytes, activation state, or homing receptor expression has not been performed. Chemokines and chemokine receptors control leukocyte trafficking to the skin and other tissue sites, and defined receptor profiles for skin-, gut-, and lung-homing leukocytes are well established. In this study, the investigators propose to evaluate the homing phenotype of leukocytes from peripheral blood and skin biopsies of patients receiving EGFR inhibitors. The investigators will use RNA microarrays to evaluate the expression of chemokines and other key genes regulated in skin during treatment. The investigators will utilize in vitro methods to investigate effects of EGFR inhibitors on imprinting of T cell tissue-specific homing receptors. The investigators will examine correlations among the pathologic data, clinical findings, and tumor response. If validated, peripheral blood evaluation could potentially be used as a predictive indicator for patients receiving EGFR inhibitors. This study may also identify novel targets for limiting skin toxicity while receiving EGFR inhibitors, thus allowing maximal dosing and clinical response from these agents.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as fluorouracil and oxaliplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Monoclonal antibodies, such as panitumumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Giving chemotherapy before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. Giving chemotherapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. It is not yet known whether chemotherapy is more effective with or without panitumumab in treating patients with colon cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial assessing whether preoperative chemotherapy and/or an anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody improve outcome in high risk operable colon cancer.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of IVIG in the treatment of metastatic cancer of the prostate, colon and melanoma.

The study involves adult subject requiring colonic anastomosis following laparoscopic intra-corporeal surgery. The anastomosis will be performed by using nitinilclip by the LapCAC device instead of staplers. Endpoints: safety-Functioning secured anastomosis and no occurrence of adverse event related to device use. The efficacy endpoint of this study includes clinical evaluation of characteristic parameters related to intestinal surgeries. Discharge day (or ready-for-discharge) Proven anastomotic leak rate (clinically or radiological) Stenosis / stricture at anastomosis Patient recovery level will be assessed every day during hospitalization and in the follow up visits.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as irinotecan, leucovorin, and fluorouracil, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug and giving them after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells. It is not yet known whether combination chemotherapy is more effective than observation alone in treating patients who have undergone surgery for colon cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying irinotecan and fluorouracil with or without leucovorin to see how well they work compared to observation alone in treating patients who have undergone surgery for stage II colon cancer.

This study will adapt and test a touch-screen computer program to evaluate cancer risk and provide patient-tailored recommendations for appropriate risk-based testing. This individually tailored intervention delivered right at the point of primary care and just prior to the office visit, can be a helpful and non-obstructive adjunct to clinical care. The primary aim of this project is to test whether a tailored intervention promoting risk-appropriate cancer testing results increases participation compared with a simple non-tailored reminder or no reminder. The trial is designed to determine the extent to which the Cancer Risk Intake System (CRIS) facilitates (1) participation in risk-appropriate colorectal cancer testing, as documented by electronic medical record audit; (2) patient receipt of risk-appropriate colorectal cancer testing recommendations from their physicians, as documented by electronic medical record audit; and (3) changes in patients' intent to participate in risk-appropriate colorectal cancer testing, as documented by patient report. The Family and Community Medicine and General Internal Medicine clinic databases will be used to identify potentially eligible patients with upcoming scheduled appointments. Because physicians will be the unit of random assignment, patients will be coded before study invitation as potential participants in the intervention or the comparison group. A random sample of eligible intervention and comparison group patients will be selected for contact. Identified patients will be mailed letters from the practices and signed by their physicians requesting their participation. The letters will describe a "study of beliefs and practices about cancer prevention and early detection" and will provide a toll-free number to refuse contact. One week after the mailing, patients who have not called to refuse contact will be called by study staff to explain the study, verify eligibility and, if the patient agrees, to arrange an in-person meeting at the clinic 30 minutes prior to their appointment. These calls will be made by trained research assistants who will follow standard calling protocols. After consent, participants will complete the computerized data collection (CRIS) immediately prior to a scheduled primary-care appointment. Intervention group patients and their physicians will receive a printout recommending risk-appropriate colorectal testing and ways to overcome perceived barriers to testing. A member of the research team will hand the patient his or her printout and will deliver the other printout to the physician. Comparison group patients and physicians will receive non-tailored printouts that are simple reminders about testing. The investigators will also establish a true no-contact control by conducting a retrospective chart review for randomly selected patients who did not receive an invitation to participate in the study. This no-contact control will establish a baseline screening rate. The investigators will then conduct analysis with the comparison and intervention group to see if individuals who participate in CRIS have a higher screening rate for colorectal cancer compared to the non-contact group. These additional data will help us better assess study Aims 1 and 2.

The aim of this study is to compare a new regimen of reduced bowel preparation that does not include low fiber diet with another reduced bowel preparation including low-fiber diet.

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

The main goal of this study is to clarify if Robotic-assisted surgery could become the standard approach in patients undergoing left colonic resection. Patient candidates to left colonic resection were randomly assigned to Robotic(RAL) or laparoscopic(LL) approach. The surgical staff who were not involved in the study registered 30-day postoperative morbidity. Cost-benefit analysis was based on hospital days. Long-term morbidity, quality of life, and 5-year survival have also been evaluated

Colonoscopy is the standard of care for the detection of colorectal polyps and adenoma, and colorectal cancer detection. Despite a meticulous evaluation of the colonic mucosa during colonoscopy, a substantial number of colorectal polyps might be missed and colorectal cancer might not be prevented. Previous studies described a 12-28% of miss-rate for all polyps, a 31% for hyperplastic polyps and 6-27% for adenomas, with a higher miss rate noted for smaller polyps. The lesion missing rate depends on several factors, such as the location on difficult areas to be evaluated with conventional colonoscopes (the proximal side of the ileocecal valve, haustral folds, flexures or rectal valves), a flat shape, an inadequate bowel preparation and inadequate endoscopy technique, a time-limited colonoscope withdrawal. If the standard 140º angle of view colonoscope is used approximately 13% of the colonic surface is unevaluated. The incorporation of colonoscopes with a 170-degree wide angled could improve adenoma detection rate. The introduction of high definition (HD) colonoscopes and visual image enhancement technologies, such as narrow band imaging (NBI, Olympus America, Center Valley, PA), I-SCAN™ (Pentax Medical, Montvale, NJ) and Fuji Intelligent Chromo-Endoscopy (FICE™, Fujinon Endoscopy, Wayne, NJ) have improved the lesion characterization; however, several studies have failed to prove an increase in the adenoma detection rates. The Third Eye Retroscope (Avantis Medical Systems, Sunnyvale, CA) is a disposable retrograde viewing device advanced through the accessory channel of a standard colonoscope. It allows retrograde viewing behind colonic folds and flexures simultaneously with the forward view of the colon. Although it shows an increase in the adenoma detection rate by 11%-25%, it has many disadvantages. First, it requires a separate processor and the device is disposable, increasing the cost of the procedure. Second, it occupies the working channel of the colonoscope, limiting the ability to suction. Third, if a polyp is detected, the viewing device has to be removed in order to perform the polypectomy. Fourth, the optic is not high definition and finally, the endoscopist has to get used to visualizing and processing two simultaneous video streams from the colonoscopy and from the retroscope device.