Active clinical trials for "Esophageal Neoplasms"

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of early start versus delayed start of oral intake on postoperative functional recovery after an esophagectomy.

RATIONALE: Bupropion may help people stop smoking by decreasing the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Giving bupropion over a longer period of time may be effective in helping people stop smoking. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well bupropion works in helping adults stop smoking.

To test the effectiveness of the interactive voice response telephone system with a triage/feedback component that incorporates timely symptom assessment, feedback to physicians, critical treatment guidelines for managing selected symptoms (distress, sleep disturbance, shortness of breath, constipation, and pain) in a cohort of cancer patients during the first month post-thoracic surgery. This interactive voice response system (IVR) will be evaluated in a randomized clinical trial with an intervention group (IVR symptom assessment with triage) and a control group (IVR symptom assessment only). We hypotheses that: Patients in the MDASI-IVR plus triage group will have less symptom burden (less symptom severity, less symptom related interference, and better satisfaction of symptom control, better physical and emotional well-being) over the month of the trial compared to the control group. Patients in the MDASI-IVR plus triage group will have more frequent documentation of symptom management in line with treatment guidelines compared to the control group.

RATIONALE: Exercise may help improve mobility and relieve fatigue and/or weakness in cancer survivors. It is not yet known whether exercise is more effective than standard therapy in improving mobility and reducing fatigue and/or weakness in older cancer survivors. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying exercise to see how well it works compared to standard therapy in improving mobility and reducing fatigue and/or weakness in older cancer survivors.

Improvements to treatment strategies for patients with cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract have produced a large population of people who remain free from cancer recurrence in the long term following treatment. Surgery is the cornerstone of treatment for patients with these cancers, but while surgical removal of the tumour may offer the best chance of cure, these are major operations associated with specific long term complications. Weight loss and poor nutrition are common problems among patients who attain long-term cancer remission and cure after surgery. The mechanisms underlying these problems are not well understood and therefore treatment options are limited. Our research has demonstrated increased levels of chemical messengers (gut hormones) released from the gastrointestinal tract after meals in patients who have previously undergone this type of surgery. These chemical messengers play a role in controlling appetite and interest in food, and increased levels after surgery may reduce interest in eating. Understanding the role of gut hormones in the control of appetite may allow us to use certain medications to block gut hormones and hence increase appetite, allowing patients to eat more and regain weight, preventing nutritional problems after surgery. In this study, the investigators aim to determine whether exaggerated gut hormone secretion causes reduced appetite and interest in food after surgery. The information gained from this study may help us to develop treatments for patients with weight loss and nutritional problems after surgery.

The purpose of this study is to determine the benefit of using positron emission tomography (PET) in addition to the standard (computed tomography) CT to plan radiation therapy for cancer treatment. The information from the PET-CT may allow the investigators to change the radiation plan or the delivery of the radiation to the tumor/tumor site such as the total dose of radiation or the size of the area to receive further radiation. Presently the use of PET scans to adjust radiation therapy during radiation treatment is not standard of care and is being investigated in this study.

This trial tests new methods and materials for the real-time chemotherapy-associated side effects monitoring support system (RT-CAMSS) in patients with gastrointestinal cancers undergoing chemotherapy. RT-CAMSS is a monitoring support system that provides patients with evidence-based information and side-effect management and coping skills, emotional support and validation, and proactive care via text messages and questionnaires as they undergo chemotherapy.

By using the M.A.D.I.T. methodology and the Dialogics science, SALVO Project aims to develop operational guidelines to support oncological target patients in the resumption of their daily post-operative activities. The research will implement an instrument for the purpose of measuring the health need of participants who are admitted to the surgical ward. Therefore, targeted interventions will be implemented with participants, and efficacy will be evaluated in order to define treatment guidelines. The principal aim of this study is to create a validated and replicable intervention model for supporting patients who undergone surgery for esophagus and gastro intestinal cancer.

RATIONALE: A study that evaluates participants' beliefs about smokeless tobacco products and nicotine replacement therapy may be useful in helping smokers stop smoking. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying the acceptability of less harmful alternatives to cigarettes.

The aim of this study is to investigate if enteral immunonutrition of head and neck or esophageal cancer patients, using an arginine, omega 3 fatty acid, nucleotides-enhanced diet [Impact (R), Novartis] versus a standard enteral nutrition (control, Novartis), could improve clinical outcomes (mucositis frequency, treatment tolerance), nutritional and immune status, and life quality parameters.