Active clinical trials for "Melanoma"

RATIONALE: The LMB-2 immunotoxin can find tumor cells and kill them without harming normal cells. Vaccines made from peptides may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. Giving LMB-2 immunotoxin together with vaccine therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving LMB-2 immunotoxin together with vaccine therapy works in treating patients with metastatic melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery.

This 2-phase study will determine the safety of treating patients with malignant melanoma with the genetically engineered HyperAcute-Melanoma vaccine. It will establish the proper vaccine dose and will examine side effects and potential benefits of the treatment. The vaccine contains killed melanoma cells containing a mouse gene that causes the production of a foreign pattern of protein-sugars on the cell surface. It is hoped that the immune response to the foreign substance will stimulate the immune system to attack the patient's own cancer cells that have similar proteins without this sugar pattern, causing the tumor to remain stable or shrink. Patients 18 years of age or older with malignant melanoma may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with medical history and physical examination, blood tests, urinalysis, chest x-rays and CT scans. MRI, PET, and ultrasound scans may be obtained if needed. Participants will receive twelve vaccinations two weeks apart from each other. The vaccines will be injected under the skin, similar to the way a tuberculosis skin test is given. Phase I of the study will treat successive groups of patients with increasing numbers of the vaccine cells to evaluate side effects of the treatment and determine the optimum dose. Phase II will look for any beneficial effects of the vaccine given at the highest dose found to be safe in Phase I. Monthly blood samples will be drawn during the 6 months of vaccine treatment. In addition, patient follow-up visits will be scheduled every 3 months for the remaining first year (6 months) after vaccination and then every 6 months for the next 2 years for the following tests and procedures to evaluate treatment response and side effects: Medical history and physical examination Blood tests X-rays and various scans (nuclear medicine/CT/MRI) FACT-G Assessment questionnaire to measure the impact of treatment on the patient's general well-being. The questionnaire is administered before beginning treatment, monthly during treatment, and during follow-up visits after completing the treatment. It includes questions on the severity of cancer symptoms and the ability to perform normal activities of daily life.

RATIONALE: Interferon alfa may interfere with the growth of cancer cells and slow the growth of cancer. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of interferon alfa in treating patients with stage IV solid tumors, lymphoma, or myeloma.

This randomized phase II trial is studying how well giving sorafenib together with either temsirolimus or tipifarnib works in treating patients with stage IV melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery. Sorafenib, temsirolimus, and tipifarnib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Sorafenib and tipifarnib may also stop the growth of tumor by blocking blood flow to the tumor. It is not yet known whether sorafenib is more effective when given together with temsirolimus or tipifarnib in treating patients with malignant melanoma.

A study with YM155 for the treatment of unresectable stage III or metastatic stage IV melanoma.

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of GC1008, a human anti-transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) monoclonal antibody in previously treated patients with locally advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma or malignant melanoma.

This study is designed to evaluate the ability of intravenously (IV)administered 131-I-labeled TM-601 (chlorotoxin) to provide tumor-specific localization(via radiographic imaging) in patients with recurrent or refractory primary solid tumors with evidence of metastatic involvement. (Refractory tumors are non-responsive to standard treatment.) The safety and tolerability of IV administered 131-I-TM-601 in this patient population will be evaluated as part of this study.

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies can locate tumor cells and either kill them or deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Vaccines may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. Combining the vaccines with Montanide ISA-51 may cause a stronger immune response and kill more tumor cells. Giving monoclonal antibody therapy together with vaccine therapy may be an effective treatment for stage III or stage IV melanoma. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving monoclonal antibody therapy together with vaccine therapy works in treating patients with resected stage III or stage IV melanoma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cyclophosphamide and fludarabine, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Interleukin-2 may stimulate a person's white blood cells to kill tumor cells and may help a person's immune system recover from the side effects of chemotherapy. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving cyclophosphamide and fludarabine together with high-dose interleukin-2 works in treating patients with metastatic melanoma.

This phase II trial is studying how well vorinostat works in treating patients with metastatic or unresectable melanoma. Vorinostat 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.