Active clinical trials for "Melanoma"

RATIONALE: Biological therapies, such as CP-675,206, work in different ways to stimulate the immune system and stop tumor cells from growing. Vaccines may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. Combining CP-675,206 with vaccine therapy may cause a stronger immune response and kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of CP-675,206 when given with vaccine therapy in treating patients with stage III or stage IV melanoma that cannot be removed with surgery.

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. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Biological therapies, such as cellular adoptive immunotherapy, work in different ways to stimulate the immune system and stop tumor cells from growing. Autologous stem cell transplant may be able to replace immune cells that were destroyed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Interleukin-2 may stimulate a person's lymphocytes to kill tumor cells. Combining chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and biological therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving cyclophosphamide and fludarabine together with radiation therapy followed by cellular adoptive immunotherapy, autologous stem cell transplant, and interleukin-2 works in treating patients with metastatic melanoma.

Study 1501-852A is a Phase 1 Study with the objective of determining safety and the highest tolerated dose of an immune response modifier cream directly applied to advanced, inoperable, melanoma skin lesions. The study will also measure blood levels of the drug and examine the potential anti-tumor activity of the cream.

RATIONALE: Thalidomide may stop the growth of melanoma by blocking blood flow to the tumor. It may also stimulate the immune system in different ways and stop tumor cells from growing. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving thalidomide together with temozolomide may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving thalidomide together with temozolomide works in treating patients with stage IV melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery.

This clinical trial is being conducted to determine tumor response and preliminary safety of a monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to a cell surface receptor (α5β1 integrin) that is required for the establishment of new blood vessels during tumor growth, a process known as angiogenesis.

The purpose of this study is to assess intranodal immunotherapy in locally advanced to metastatic melanoma patients (American Joint Committee on Cancer [AJCC] stages IIb to IV). For this, the investigators capitalize on their previous melanoma clinical trial (published by Zajac P et al in Human Gene Ther 2003) and take advantage of a proprietary recombinant vaccinia virus (replication inactivated) expressing 5 minigenes: 3 melanoma associated antigens and 2 costimulatory molecules. Immunization with the recombinant vaccinia virus is followed by 3 boosts with soluble, synthetic melanoma associated antigens. The patients are immunized intranodally (groin lymph node) under ultrasonographic guidance in an outpatient clinic. The protocol foresees 2 cycles of immunotherapy for alternate weeks and lasts 15 weeks.

Sorafenib 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. This phase II trial is studying how well sorafenib works in treating patients with stage III or stage IV melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide and lomustine, use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Thalidomide may stop the growth of cancer by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Combining temozolomide and thalidomide with lomustine may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining temozolomide and thalidomide with lomustine in treating patients who have unresectable stage III or stage IV melanoma.

RATIONALE: PEG-interferon alfa-2b may interfere with the growth of tumor cells. Biological therapies, such as thalidomide, may stimulate the immune system in different ways and stop tumor cells from growing. PEG-interferon alfa-2b and thalidomide may also stop the growth of melanoma by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Giving PEG-interferon alfa-2b together with thalidomide may be an effective treatment for melanoma. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving PEG-interferon alfa-2b together with thalidomide works in treating patients with recurrent or metastatic melanoma.

To evaluate objective response rate and duration of response to weekly Taxoprexin®. To evaluate the safety profile of weekly Taxoprexin® in this patient population. To evaluate overall survival in the same patient population. To evaluate time to disease progression, and the time to treatment failure in patients with metastatic choroidal melanoma being treated with weekly Taxoprexin® Injection.