Active clinical trials for "Melanoma"

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of administering an allogeneic GM-CSF-secreting lethally irradiated whole melanoma cell vaccine ("melanoma GVAX"), alone or in combination with low dose cyclophosphamide (CPM), for the adjuvant treatment of patients with surgically resected stage IIB-IV melanoma. Secondarily, the investigators will assess in vitro correlates of anti-melanoma immunization by melanoma GVAX, including serological and cellular immune responses in patients treated with either the vaccine alone or the vaccine given with low dose CPM.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a vaccine composed of patients' own melanoma cells treated with the chemical, dinitrophenyl (DNP)(called a hapten), is safe and stimulates an immune response to patients' own cancer cells.

This study will determine the MDT of intravenous DTIC when administered in combination with a fixed dose of oral lenalidomide in subjects with metastatic malignant melanoma previously untreated with systemic chemotherapy. This study will evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of the combination of lenalidomide and DTIC. Subjects will be receive lenalidomide for 14 consecutive days and DTIC on day one of each 21 day cycle.

The aim of the study is to show if vaccination with autologous dendritic cells pulsed with peptides or tumor lysate in combination with adjuvant cytokines and Cyclophosphamide can induce a measurable immune response in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma, and to evaluate the clinical effect (objective response rate) of the vaccination regime.

The purpose of this trial is to assess whether treatment with NY-ESO-1 ISCOMATRIX® vaccine improves outcomes for people with Malignant Melanoma which has been removed, but is at high risk of relapse.

The objective of this multicentric Phase III study is to confirm the results of the phase I-II study (Dreno B & Al. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2002; 51: 539-456) which demonstrated the preventive effect of a treatment by TIL (Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes) combined with IL2 (Interleukin 2; low dose injected subcutaneously) on the metastatic relapse in the stage III melanoma patients with only one invaded lymphnode.

The intra-/perilesional application of interleukin-2 seems to be a safe and effective treatment of skin and soft tissue metastases in malignant melanoma. Especially in case of intransit metastases the overall survival rate is still 20-30%. However, the management of intransit metastases is sometimes difficult because of frequent recurrences. IL-2 intralesionally seems to be an non-invasive option as pilot studies indicate. In this study the safety and efficacy of IL-2 are evaluated.

This phase II trial is studying how well AZD2171 works in treating patients with recurrent or stage IV melanoma. AZD2171 may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor and by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the professional antigen-presenting cells of the immune system. As such they are currently used in clinical vaccination protocols in cancer patients, and both immunological and clinical responses have been observed. For these therapies accurate delivery to target organs is essential. Correct delivery and subsequent migration of vaccinated DCs to regional lymph nodes is of paramount importance for effective stimulation of the immune system. Currently it is not known what the best route of administration is for DC vaccines. Using magnetically labeled DCs, we investigate the potential of MRI cell tracking to monitor DC therapy. This is investigated in stage III/IV melanoma patients in whom a regional lymph node dissection is scheduled. Autologous monocyte-derived DCs are labeled with the clinically approved superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) formulation Endorem and 111In-oxine and injected either in the skin or directly in lymph nodes under ultrasound guidance. Two days after vaccination patients are monitored with scintigraphy and MR imaging. Lymph nodes are then resected. Subsequently patients receive 3 more vaccination with DCs. During and after therapy immune responses against the used melanoma peptides are monitored.

Previously untreated patients with malignant melanoma receive a new chemotherapy drug currently under development. CP-4055 is given intravenously on days 1-5 every four weeks until complete response or disease progression.