Active clinical trials for "Melanoma"

This pilot clinical trial studies intravital microscopy for identifying tumor vessels in patients with stage IA-IV melanoma that is being removed by surgery. New imaging procedures, such as intravital microscopy, may determine the extent of melanoma.

Patients are being asked to take part because they have melanoma that has spread to other organs in their body (metastatic). As part of this study, patients will receive radiation therapy and an approved drug (Vemurafenib).

The initial treatment for most people with melanoma involves wide excision of the skin and sentinel node biopsy. As with other cancers, the status of the sentinel node provides important prognostic information to the patient and physician. Sentinel node biopsy was first developed using only a blue dye. Technetium99, a radioactive protein, was added later and provides the ability to image the patient and identify relevant lymph node basins. For the last 15 years or so, the standard method of SLN localization includes both tech99 and blue dye. While the rates of localization overall are excellent, these methods each have drawbacks. We are investigating a new method of finding sentinel nodes that uses a green dye that has an infrared signal. Our hypothesis is that indocyanine green (ICG) and real time lymphangiography is equivalent to technetium99 and methylene blue in identifying sentinel nodes (SLN) in patients with melanoma.

This pilot clinical trial studies aldesleukin imaging in viewing tumor growth in patients with stage IV melanoma receiving ipilimumab or pembrolizumab therapy. Diagnostic procedures, such as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), uses radioactive drugs and a scanner to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body and may be a less invasive way to check for stage IV melanoma. Radioactive drugs, such as technetium Tc 99 hydrazinonicotinamide-tricine-linked interleukin-2, carry radiation directly to cancer cells and may be able to differentiate between tumor growth due to inflammation versus tumor progression in patients with stage IV melanoma receiving therapy.

This study will investigate the combination of two drugs, trametinib and nab-paclitaxel, in patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic melanoma. Each drug has shown activity in trials of patients with melanoma. However, the combination of these two drugs has not been studied. In this trial the investigators will determine the maximum dose of the drug combination to be administered to patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic melanoma and examine the safety profile of the drug combination.

Recent progresses have been made in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, nevertheless improved patient survival is still limited because of primary resistance and relapses. It is therefore important to continue to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in melanoma development and progression to improve the management of patients. Drugs such as the alkylating agents (temozolomide and fotemustine) or vemurafenib trigger senescence-like phenotypes in melanoma cells. It is now known that senescent cells secrete some factors that exert a pro-tumoral role but the potential existence and the role of insoluble factors remain undetermined. Preliminary results from the investigators laboratory indicate the presence in the senescent secretome of exosomes; microvesicles involved in intercellular communication, immunomodulatory functions, and tumorigenesis. Several studies showed that these vesicles shape the tumor microenvironment and contribute to the migration of cancer cells. Their interest in oncology as a prognostic factor and marker of therapeutic response is increasing. Thus, our project aims to study the effect of exosomes produced by senescent melanoma cells in the development and progression of melanoma in vitro and in vivo using cell cultures and animal models. In addition, the investigator propose a pilot study whose objective is to determine the effect of vemurafenib on nanovesicles produced by patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic melanoma. The investigator hope to show that exosomes participate in the process of drug resistance and relapse, with the goal of developing (with the exosomes study) theranostic tools for personalized care in patients.

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn about the safety of giving CD4+T cells with ipilimumab and cyclophosphamide. CD4+T cells are a type of white blood cell. Researchers grow the T cells in the laboratory, and they are designed to find cancer cells and may kill them.

This is a two center, single arm, investigator sponsored trial (IST) with the PET tracer 89Zr-pembrolizumab to evaluate in vivo whole body distribution of 89Zr-Pembrolizumab in a registered indication: locally advanced metastatic melanoma or non-small cell lung cancer before Pembrolizumab treatment.

This is an open label, two-phase study combining a dose escalation Phase 1 with a proof-of-concept Phase 2 in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma, for whom treatment with ipilimumab is indicated. The purpose of the Phase 1 is to determine the Anti-OX40 Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) and the secondary objectives are anti-OX40 pharmacokinetics, biological activity and the tumor response assessed by the Immune-related Response Criteria. The purpose of Phase 2 is to determine tumor response (by irRC) and the secondary objectives are anti-OX40 pharmacokinetics, biological activity and Safety/Tolerability.

This phase I/II trial studies the safety, best dose and effectiveness of targeted gene therapy combined with isolated limb infusion (ILI) of melphalan and dactinomycin for treating patients with advanced extremity melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery. Adding gene therapy to a standard chemotherapy regimen in the isolated limb may enhance anti-cancer effects by inducing a systemic immune response against the tumor cells.