Active clinical trials for "Melanoma"

The goal of this study is to find out if some people are more likely to get melanoma, a form of skin cancer, than others are. To do this we will compare people who have had more than one melanoma to people who have had only one melanoma and to people who are similar but who have not developed melanoma. People respond to the environment in different ways. Some may be born with genes that make them more likely to get this type of skin cancer. Each person has many ways to repair normal damage to their genes. Specific genes may affect the repair of sun damage. Other genes affect the way the skin itself reacts to the sun. We want to find out which genes have normal changes in them and lead to different responses to exposures, such as the sun. We also want to find out if sun habits are related to the way these genes work.

The purpose of this study is to treat metastatic melanoma with a combination of standard chemotherapy (decitabine and Temozolomide in a dose escalation scheme) with an study drug called panobinostat. This combination is proposed to unlock genes that may contribute to mechanisms that cause tumor growth. The primary objectives of this study are: To evaluate the safety and tolerability of the proposed schedule of decitabine, temozolomide and panobinostat in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. To define any Dose Limiting Toxicity (DLT) and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of the combination of decitabine, temozolomide and panobinostat.

Background: gp100 is a protein that is often found in melanoma tumors. An experimental procedure developed for treating patients with melanoma uses anti-gp100 cells designed to destroy their tumors. The anti-gp100 cells are created in the laboratory using the patient's own tumor cells or blood cells. The treatment procedure also uses a vaccine called plaque purified canarypox vector (ALVAC) gp100, made from a virus that ordinarily infects canaries and is modified to carry a copy of the gp100 gene. The virus cannot reproduce in mammals, so it cannot cause disease in humans. When the vaccine is injected into a patient, it stimulates cells in the immune system that may increase the efficiency of the anti gp 100 cells. Objectives: -To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of anti-gp100 cells and the ALVAC gp100 vaccine in treating patients with advanced melanoma. Eligibility: -Patients with metastatic melanoma for whom standard treatments have not been effective. Design: Patients undergo scans, x-rays and other tests and leukapheresis to obtain white cells for laboratory treatment. Patients have 7 days of chemotherapy to prepare the immune system for receiving the gp100 cells. Patients receive the ALVAC vaccine, anti-gp100 cells and interleukin-2 (IL-2) (an approved treatment for advanced melanoma). The anti gp100 cells are given as an infusion through a vein. The vaccine is given as injections just before the infusion of gp100 cells and again 2 weeks later. IL-2 is given as a 15-minute infusion every 8 hours for up to 5 days after the cell infusion for a maximum of 15 doses. After hospital discharge, patients return to the clinic for periodic follow-up with a physical examination, review of treatment side effects, laboratory tests and scans every 1 to 6 months.

RATIONALE: Interleukin-7 may stimulate the white blood cells to kill tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of interleukin-7 in treating patients with metastatic melanoma or locally advanced or metastatic kidney cancer.

The purpose of this study is to determine if the combination of everolimus and imatinib will slow the growth of or cause a reduction in the size of the cancer, and to determine the side effects of the combination in patients with melanoma. Each of the drugs in this combination, if used alone, would not be expected to have an effect against the cancer. However, when used together, there is a possibility that they could work together to damage the cancer cells, or to block the formation or function of the blood vessels that feed the cancer, either of which could result in slowing the growth of or shrinking the cancer. Both drugs work by blocking signals that are sent from outside of a cell to the inside of the cell that direct the cell to make certain substances to keep the cell alive. Cancer cells or blood vessels that feed cancer cells may be more sensitive to drugs that block these signals.

Background: Human peripheral blood lymphocytes have been engineered to express a T-cell receptor (TCR) that recognizes a blood type, human leukocyte antigen (HLA-A*0201) derived from the gp100 protein. A retroviral vector was constructed that can deliver the TCR to cells. This gene-engineered cell is over 10 times more reactive with melanoma cells than is the melanoma antigen recognized by T-cells (MART-1) TCR that resulted in tumor shrinkage for two patients with metastatic melanoma. Objectives: To determine whether an anti-melanoma protein receptor can be put in cells removed from patients' tumors or blood and then reinfused, with the purpose of shrinking tumors. To evaluate safety and effectiveness of the treatment. Eligibility: Patients 18 years of age or older with metastatic cancer melanoma (cancer that has spread beyond the original site). Patient's leukocyte antigen type is HLA-A*0201. Design: -Patients undergo the following procedures: Leukapheresis (on two occasions). This is a method of collecting large numbers of white blood cells. The cells obtained in the first leukapheresis procedure are grown in the laboratory, and the anti-gp100 protein is inserted into the cells using an inactivated (harmless) virus in a process called retroviral transduction. Cells collected in the second leukapheresis procedure are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the study treatment. Chemotherapy. Patients are given chemotherapy through a vein (intravenously, IV) over 1 hour for 2 days to suppress the immune system so that the patient's immune cells do not interfere with the treatment. Treatment with anti-gp100. Patients receive an IV infusion of the treated cells containing anti-gp100 protein, followed by infusions of a drug called IL-2 (aldesleukin), which helps boost the effectiveness of the treated white cells. Patients are given support medications to prevent complications such as infections. Patients may undergo a tumor biopsy (removal of a small piece of tumor tissue). Patients are evaluated with laboratory tests and imaging tests, such as CT scans, 4 to 6 weeks after treatment and then once a month for 3 to 4 months to determine the response to treatment. Patients have blood tests at 3, 6, and 12 months and then annually for 5 years.

RATIONALE: Boron neutron capture therapy using boronophenylalanine-fructose complex may kill tumor cells without harming normal tissue. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well boron neutron capture therapy using boronophenylalanine-fructose complex works in treating patients with metastatic melanoma.

This randomized phase II trial is studying how well cilengitide works in treating patients with unresectable stage III or stage IV melanoma. Cilengitide may stop the growth of melanoma by stopping blood flow to the tumor.

This phase II trial is studying how well tanespimycin works in treating patients with stage III or stage IV melanoma. Antitumor antibiotics such as tanespimycin may stop the growth of melanoma by stopping blood flow to the tumor.

The purposes of this study are to determine whether immunization with the MAGE-3.A1 peptide mixed with CpG 7909 results in a detectable immune response; to determine the safety of this vaccine and to document the tumor response to the vaccine.