Active clinical trials for "Kidney Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: A peripheral blood stem cell transplant or bone marrow transplant using stem cells from the patient may be able to replace immune cells that were destroyed by chemotherapy and image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy used to kill tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of bone marrow radiation therapy followed by an autologous stem cell transplant in treating patients with high-risk or relapsed solid tumors.

RATIONALE: Gefitinib may stop the growth of kidney cancer by blocking blood flow to the tumor and by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. PEG-interferon alfa-2b may interfere with the growth of tumor cells and slow the growth of kidney cancer. Giving gefitinib together with PEG-interferon alfa-2b may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving gefitinib together with PEG-interferon alfa-2b works in treating patients with unresectable or metastatic kidney cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Imatinib mesylate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving gemcitabine together with imatinib mesylate may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying gemcitabine and imatinib mesylate to see how well they work compared with gemcitabine alone in treating patients with metastatic or unresectable kidney cancer.

RATIONALE: Giving low doses of chemotherapy, such as fludarabine, and radiation therapy before a donor stem cell transplant helps stop the growth of cancer cells. It also stops the patient's immune system from rejecting the donor's stem cells. The donated stem cells may replace the patient's immune system and help destroy any remaining cancer cells (graft-versus-tumor effect). Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can also make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil after transplant may stop this from happening. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving fludarabine together with total-body irradiation works in treating patients who are undergoing a donor stem cell transplant for metastatic kidney cancer that cannot be removed by surgery.

RATIONALE: 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. Infusing irradiated donor lymphocytes into the patient may help the patient's immune system kill tumor cells. Giving sunitinib together with irradiated donor lymphocytes may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving sunitinib together with irradiated donor lymphocytes works in treating patients with metastatic kidney cancer.

RATIONALE: A peripheral stem cell transplant may be able to replace blood-forming cells that were destroyed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy, or that have become cancer. Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving cyclophosphamide and fludarabine together with total-body irradiation followed by cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil before the transplant may stop this from happening. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy together with radiation therapy followed by cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil works in treating patients who are undergoing a donor stem cell transplant for hematologic cancer, metastatic breast cancer, or kidney cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as FR901228 (depsipeptide), work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well FR901228 works in treating patients with advanced cancer of the urothelium that has progressed or recurred after receiving one chemotherapy regimen.

Current therapies for Stage IV Kidney Cancer provide very limited benefit to the patient. The anti-cancer properties of Antineoplaston therapy suggest that it may prove beneficial in the treatment of Stage IV Kidney Cancer. PURPOSE: This study is being performed to determine the effects (good and bad) that Antineoplaston therapy has on patients with Stage IV Kidney Cancer.

Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of trastuzumab in treating patients who have previously treated, locally advanced, or metastatic cancer of the urothelium. Monoclonal antibodies can locate tumor cells and either kill them or deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells.

The purposes of this study are fourfold. It will 1) determine what dose of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) combination therapy can be given safely to patients with advanced cancer; 2) evaluate the side effects of this treatment; 3) examine how the body handles this drug combination; and 4) determine whether and how the therapy may cause the immune system to stop or slow tumor growth. IL-2 is an approved drug for treating melanoma and kidney cancer. IL-12 is an experimental drug that has shown anti-cancer activity in animals, shrinking tumors and slowing their growth. Animal studies suggest that given together, the drugs may be more effective against cancer than either one singly. Patients 18 years of age and older with advanced solid-tumor cancers (kidney, breast, lung, sarcomas and others) that do not improve with standard treatment may qualify for this study. Candidates will have a physical examination, including blood and urine tests, electrocardiogram (EKG) and echocardiogram, DTH skin test (to test the function of the immune system), chest X-ray and lung function tests to determine eligibility. Bone marrow biopsy and imaging procedures such as CT and MRI scans may also be required. Patients over 50 years old will also undergo exercise stress testing. Treatment will consist of four courses of IL-2 and IL-12. On days one and nine of each course, patients will receive three doses (one every 8 hours) of IL-2 intravenously (through a vein). On days two, four, six, 10, 12 and 14, they will receive IL-12 intravenously. This will be followed by a recovery period from days 15 through 35. This regimen will be repeated for another three cycles; patients who show benefit without severe side effects may continue for additional cycles. Treatment for the first cycle will be administered in the hospital. If the drugs are well tolerated, additional therapy may be given on an outpatient basis. A biopsy (removal of a small sample of tumor tissue) will be done at the beginning of the study, after completing the first treatment cycle, and possibly again when the cancer slows, stops or gets worse, or if the patient leaves the study. These tumor samples will be examined to evaluate the effects of treatment. Several blood samples also will be collected during the course of treatment to monitor immune system effects. A device called a heparin lock may be put in place to avoid multiple needle sticks. ...