Active clinical trials for "Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal"

Children with brain tumors who have had radiation therapy are at risk for problems with attention, memory, and problem solving. Such problems may cause difficulty in school and daily life. Memantine, the drug being used for this study, is not yet approved for use in children by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, studies have shown some improvements in memory for patients with dementia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and autism. Scientists have also used this medication for adult cancer patients receiving radiation therapy with results showing less cognitive declines over time compared to patients taking a placebo (inactive pill). These studies have also shown few side effects. This is a pilot/feasibility study and the first known study involving children with a cancer diagnosis or brain tumor. PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: To estimate the participation rate in a study of memantine used as a neuro-protective agent in children undergoing radiotherapy for localized brain tumors (low grade glioma, craniopharyngioma, ependymoma, or germ cell tumor) To estimate the rate of memantine medication adherence To estimate the rate of completion of cognitive assessments SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: To estimate the effect size of change in neurobehavioral outcomes (cognitive, social, quality of life, neurologic) associated with memantine To evaluate the frequency and nature of memantine side effects as measured by the Systematic Assessment for Treatment Emergent Events (SAFTEE)

RATIONALE: Alemtuzumab and glucocorticoids, such as prednisone or methylprednisolone, may be an effective treatment for acute graft-versus-host disease caused by a donor stem cell transplant. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving alemtuzumab together with glucocorticoids works in treating newly diagnosed acute graft-versus-host disease in patients who have undergone donor stem cell transplant.

RATIONALE: Alemtuzumab, tacrolimus, and methylprednisolone may be an effective treatment for graft-versus-host disease caused by a donor stem cell transplant. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving alemtuzumab together with tacrolimus and methylprednisolone works in treating acute graft-versus-host disease in patients who have undergone donor stem cell transplant.

RATIONALE: Electroacupuncture may help to reduce or prevent delayed nausea and vomiting in patients treated with chemotherapy. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying the effectiveness of electroacupuncture in treating delayed nausea and vomiting in patients who are receiving chemotherapy for newly diagnosed childhood sarcoma, neuroblastoma, nasopharyngeal cancer, germ cell tumors, or Hodgkin lymphoma.

Study Title: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the Promoting Resilience in Stress Management (PRISM) Intervention for Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer Study Population and Sample Size: Two cohorts of Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) patients with diagnosis of new or recurrent cancer between 1 and 10 weeks prior to enrollment: those ages 13-17 (N=50); (2) those ages 18-25 (N=50). Study Design: Pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT). Primary Objective: To test the efficacy of the "Promoting Resilience in Stress Management" (PRISM) among Adolescents and Young Adults with cancer. Primary Outcome: Change in patient-reported resilience (based on score of standardized Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale) at 6 months. Secondary Outcomes: Patient-reported resilience at 2, 4, and 12 months Patient-reported self-efficacy, benefit-finding, psychological distress, quality of life, and health-behaviors at 6 and 12 months. Qualitative assessment of patient-reported goals at 6 and 12 months Development of a cohort of AYA cancer survivors for assessment of long-term psychosocial outcomes Study Duration: 3 years

This randomized clinical trial studies the Family Caregiver Palliative Care Intervention in supporting caregivers of patients with stage II-IV gastrointestinal, gynecologic, urologic and lung cancers. Education and telephone counseling may reduce stress and improve the well-being and quality of life of caregivers of cancer patients.

RATIONALE: Physician-initiated smoking cessation strategies may be effective in getting early-stage cancer patients to quit smoking. PURPOSE: Randomized clinical trial to compare the effectiveness of a physician-initiated stop-smoking program with the usual care for patients receiving treatment for early-stage cancer.

RATIONALE: Understanding the emotional needs of spouses or others who are living with and caring for patients who have undergone stem cell transplantation may help improve the quality of life of both the caregivers and the patients. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying the emotional needs of caregivers of patients who have undergone stem cell transplant.

This is open-label, single-arm, two-stage phase II trial of olaparib in patients with relapsed/refractory metastatic germ cell cancer. The primary objective is to evaluate the preliminary activity of Olaparib in GCT tumors. The secondary objective is to evaluate the safety of Olaparib in patients with cisplatin-refractory GCT.

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation is a standard salvage treatment used in adults with germ cell tumors (Einhorn et al, J Clin Oncol 2007). Disease prognosis following 1 to 2 intensified combinations of etoposide - carboplatin +/- ifosfamide depends on the patient's performance status (PS) at inclusion and the prior sensitivity of the disease to cisplatin. A poor PS and/or being refractory to cisplatin suggest a higher toxicity and a bad prognosis. However, predictive factors of response to high-dose chemotherapy do not include a chemo-sensitivity phase with a semi-intensive chemotherapy excluding a platinum compound (epirubicin - paclitaxel), which still allows stem-cell harvest. The use of this chemotherapy combination induced a response in more than one third of the patients treated during disease progression in the TAXIF I study. The same strategy was tested in the TAXIF II study, which completed the inclusion of 45 patients and was closed in May 2008. Results of the TAXIF II study, are currently being analyzed; they support the hypothesis to prioritarily treat patients with a sensitive relapsed disease at the time of the high-dose administration. A combination of a semi-intensive sequential ICE type chemotherapy plus bevacizumab was used on a highly refractory patient. A 5 months nearly complete response was achieved. Indeed, the overexpression of VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) has been identified as an independent risk factor in patients with germ cell tumor. Therefore, a treatment strategy using an inductive chemotherapy followed, in case of response, by a double intensification therapy in combination with a VEGF treatment, could be an interesting approach in patients with poor prognosis germ cell tumors. The aim of this phase I/II trial is to assess the feasibility of a Bevacizumab - ICE (Ifosfamide-Carboplatin-Etoposide) high dose combination with the support of autologous hematopoietic stem cell for two intensive consecutive cycles ("tandem" intensification) in patients with a poor prognosis germ cell tumor non refractory to a front-line mobilization chemotherapy using two half intensified consecutive combinations of Epirubicin-Paclitaxel.