Active clinical trials for "Melanoma"

The purpose of this research study is to study a type of gene therapy treatment called plasmid electroporation. This type of treatment involves the injection of a gene into some melanoma tumors located near the surface of the skin, followed by a burst of electricity into the tumor to cause the tumor to take up the gene. This study is a Phase I study to determine the side effects and the correct dose of this type of treatment and also its effectiveness in treating melanoma. While the electroporation technique has been used in people, the combination of plasmid injection and electroporation is being tried in human beings for the first time.

The purpose of this clinical research study is to examine the safety and effectiveness (how well the drug works) of two different treatments for patients with melanoma. One treatment is an investigational compound (a drug that is not currently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration [FDA]), know as Ipilimumab (also known as MDX-010 or BMS-734016) together with an approved chemotherapy drug called Dacarbazine

This phase II trial is studying how well sorafenib works when given together with carboplatin and paclitaxel in treating patients with stage IV melanoma of the eye. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as carboplatin and paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Sorafenib may help carboplatin and paclitaxel work better by making tumor cells more sensitive to the drugs. Sorafenib may also stop the growth of melanoma by blocking some of the enzymes needed for tumor cell growth and by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Giving sorafenib together with carboplatin and paclitaxel may kill more tumor cells.

Background: Natural killer (NK) cells are large lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) that are important in the immune response to cancer. IL-2 (Aldesleukin) is a substance the body makes that controls the growth and function of many types of cells. The Food and Drug Administration has approved IL-3 for treating metastatic melanoma and kidney cancer. (Metastatic disease is cancer that has spread beyond the primary site.) Objectives: To determine the safety and effectiveness of treating metastatic melanoma and kidney cancer with laboratory-treated NK cells and IL-2. Eligibility: Patients 18 years of age or older with metastatic melanoma or kidney cancer who have previously been treated with high-dose IL-2. Design: Leukapheresis. Patients under leukapheresis to obtain NK cells for the treatment regimen. Blood is collected through a needle in an arm vein and directed through a cell separator machine where white blood cells are extracted. The rest of the blood is returned to the patient through a needle in the other arm. NK cells are removed from the white blood cells and treated for re-infusion into the patient. Chemotherapy. Starting 8 days before infusion of the treated NK cells, patients receive intravenous (IV, through a vein) infusions of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine to suppress the immune system. NK cell infusion. Patients receive a 30-minute IV infusion of NK cells 2 days after the last dose of chemotherapy. IL-2 therapy. Within 24 hours of the NK cell infusion, patients receive high-dose IL-2 as a 15-minute IV infusion every 8 hours for up to 5 days. A second cycle of IL-2 is given about 14 days after the first. Blood tests and biopsy. Patients have frequent blood tests during the treatment period and may be asked to undergo a biopsy (surgical removal of a small piece of tumor or lymph node) at the end of treatment to look at the effects of the treatment on the tumor immune cells. Follow-up evaluation. Patients are evaluated 4-6 weeks after completing treatment. They have a physical examination, scans of tumor sites, blood tests and blood sampling (or leukapheresis) to examine the response to treatment. Patients who improve with treatment return for evaluations every month. Those whose tumor grows again after originally shrinking may receive one additional treatment course.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as melphalan, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving melphalan directly into the arteries around the tumor may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether hepatic arterial infusion with melphalan is more effective than standard therapy in treating liver metastases due to melanoma. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying hepatic arterial infusion with melphalan to see how well it works compared to standard therapy in treating patients with unresectable liver metastases due to melanoma.

To compare the safety and efficacy of Allovectin-7® versus Dacarbazine (DTIC)or Temozolomide (TMZ) in subjects with recurrent stage 3 or stage 4 melanoma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as azacitidine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Interferon alfa may interfere with the growth of tumor cells. Giving azacitidine together with interferon alfa may be an effective treatment for melanoma. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of azacitidine when given together with interferon alfa in treating patients with metastatic melanoma.

The primary purpose of this study is to determine the objective response rate (complete and partial response) for participants who receive tasisulam after one prior systemic treatment for unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

RATIONALE: Sodium stibogluconate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Interferon alfa-2b may interfere with the growth of tumor cells and slow the growth of melanoma and other cancers. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving sodium stibogluconate and interferon alfa-2b together with combination chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of sodium stibogluconate when given together with interferon alfa-2b, cisplatin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine in treating patients with advanced melanoma or other cancer.

Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining imatinib mesylate with bevacizumab in treating patients who have advanced melanoma or other metastatic or unresectable cancer. Imatinib mesylate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth. Bevacizumab may stop the growth of tumor cells by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Combining imatinib mesylate with bevacizumab may kill more tumor cells