Active clinical trials for "Melanoma"

This is a Phase 2 study being conducted at multiple centers in the United States and France. Patients having melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body (i.e., metastatic) are eligible to participate. Patients must have disease that has been treated with no more than 1 prior treatment for metastatic disease (prior adjuvant treatment for localized disease does not count as prior treatment for metastatic disease). The purpose of the study is to test whether the angiogenesis inhibitor AG-013736 is an effective treatment for metastatic melanoma as shown by the number of patients in the study who experience significant and durable tumor shrinkage.

RATIONALE: Interleukin-7 may stimulate a person's white blood cells to kill tumor cells. Vaccines made from peptides may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. Combining interleukin-7 with vaccine therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of interleukin-7 when given with vaccine therapy in treating patients with metastatic melanoma.

The purpose of this study is to ascertain if the extended schedule of Temozolomide, which allows increased doses and potential depletion of the enzyme underlaying resistance, is a more effective treatment of metastatic melanoma than single agent dacarbazine.

This pilot phase II trial studies how well giving vaccine therapy works in treating patients with stage IIC-IV melanoma. Vaccines made from melanoma peptides or antigens may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells

RATIONALE: Vaccines made from a patient's dendritic cells and tumor cells may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of vaccine therapy in treating patients with stage III or stage IV melanoma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as dacarbazine and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Complete metastasectomy may be an effective treatment for metastatic melanoma and may improve quality of life and help patients live longer and more comfortably. It is not yet known whether complete metastasectomy is more effective than chemotherapy in treating stage IV melanoma. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying dacarbazine and/or cisplatin to see how well they work compared to complete metastasectomy in treating patients with stage IV melanoma.

This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of alvespimycin hydrochloride in treating patients with metastatic or unresectable solid tumors. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as alvespimycin hydrochloride, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die.

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. Treating a person's lymphocytes in the laboratory and reinfusing them may replace immune cells destroyed by chemotherapy. Vaccines made from peptides may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. Giving a vaccine with Montanide ISA-51 may cause a stronger immune response and kill more tumor cells. Interleukin-2 may stimulate a person's lymphocytes to kill tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well lymphocyte-depleting nonmyeloablative (not damaging to bone marrow) chemotherapy followed by autologous lymphocyte infusion, peptide vaccine plus Montanide ISA-51, and interleukin-2 works in treating patients with metastatic melanoma.

RATIONALE: Biological therapies use different ways to stimulate the immune system and stop tumor cells from growing. Combining biological therapies with indomethacin and cyclophosphamide may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to compare the effectiveness of indomethacin and biological therapy with or without cyclophosphamide in treating patients who have advanced melanoma that has not responded to previous therapy.

RATIONALE: Vaccines may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. It is not yet known what preparation of vaccine therapy is most effective for treating melanoma. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to study the effectiveness of tyrosinase/gp100 peptide vaccine in treating patients who have stage II melanoma that can be removed by surgery.