Active clinical trials for "Mesothelioma, Malignant"

This phase I clinical trial investigates the side effects and the best dose of local (intrapleural measles virus therapy in treating patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). The investigators anticipate that the intrapleural of the vaccine strain measles virus will enable the virus to specifically infect and kill cancer cells and spare, without damaging normal cells. Furthermore, the investigators expect the measles virus to trigger an anti-tumor immune response which will result in additional destruction of the tumor by immune cells

Study of a Wilms Tumor-1 (WT1) vaccine to see if it delays or prevents the mesothelioma from growing back after surgery. WT1 is a protein in cancer cells that regulates gene expression and causes cell growth.

Background: Background: - IMC-A12, a new cancer treatment that has not yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is an antibody that is designed to block the effects of a protein called Type I Insulin-Like Growth Factor (IGF-1R). IMC-A12 blocks the receptors in cells that respond to IGF-1R, which are thought to play an important role in helping cancer cells to grow and divide. Researchers are interested in determining whether IMC-A12 is an effective treatment for individuals who have mesothelioma that has not responded to standard chemotherapy. Objectives: - To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of IMC-A12 treatment in individuals with mesothelioma who have previously had chemotherapy. Eligibility: - Individuals at least 18 years of age who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma that has not responded to chemotherapy. Design: Eligible participants will be screened with a full physical examination and medical history, blood and urine samples, and imaging studies. Participants will receive IMC-A12 once every 3 weeks (21-day cycle), and will be evaluated before the start of each new cycle with blood tests and imaging studies if needed. Treatment cycles will continue for as long as needed, unless severe side effects develop or the disease progresses.

This research is being done to find out if pemetrexed and cisplatin work better when given together with an experimental drug called MORAb-009 in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

RATIONALE: Bortezomib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects of bortezomib and how well it works in treating patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

In this study we want to investigate the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), which is an anti-oxidant, in the prevention of cisplatin-induced neural toxicity, in patients treated for lung cancer with chemotherapy containing cisplatin.

RATIONALE: Everolimus may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well everolimus works in treating patients with pleural malignant mesothelioma that cannot be removed by surgery.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the immunogenicity and clinical efficacy of intradermal vaccination with autologous RNA-modified dendritic cells (DCs) - engineered to express the WT1 protein - in patients with limited spread metastatic solid tumors, i.e. breast cancers, glioblastoma grade IV, sarcomas, malignant mesothelioma and colorectal tumors. Based on the results of our previously performed phase I study with autologous WT1 mRNA-transfected DC, the investigators hypothesize that the vaccination with DC will be well-tolerated and will result in an increase in WT1-specific CD8+ T cell responses.

Primary Objective: To determine the maximum tolerated dose of the combination of cisplatin, imatinib mesylate, and pemetrexed in metastatic malignant mesothelioma. Secondary Objectives: To explore the biologic effects of cisplatin, imatinib mesylate, and pemetrexed on tumor tissue by: histologic analysis of biopsy tissue by non-invasive assessments of tumor vascularity performed before, during and after treatment electron microscopy analysis of endothelial cell architecture after patient treatment with imatinib mesylate To explore the effects of cisplatin, imatinib mesylate, and pemetrexed on surrogate markers in serum. To assess the rate of response to therapy. To determine the doses of the combination regimen of cisplatin, imatinib mesylate, and pemetrexed that enables de-phosphorylation of platelet derived growth factor receptor (PDGF-R) on malignant mesothelioma tumor cells. To determine the pharmacokinetic interaction between agents in this combination regimen.

Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer involving the lining of the lung. Patients usually suffer progressive symptoms of shortness of breath and chest pain, until they ultimately succumb to the disease. While a very small number of patients qualify for aggressive treatment with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, and enjoy long-term survival, the vast majority of patients have incurable disease. The treatment options currently available, including chemotherapy and radiation treatment, are only modestly effective at alleviating symptoms and improving life expectancy. This trial explores the use of new radiation technology (tomotherapy), to treat mesothelioma more aggressively than has been possible before. Tomotherapy's ability to treat unusual shaped tumours, particularly when they are wrapped around sensitive normal tissues (the lung), enable higher doses of radiation to be used and this may improve its effectiveness. We will treat 17 patients with tomotherapy and assess the breathing, symptoms, and quality of life of the patients before and after treatment