Active clinical trials for "Prostatic Neoplasms"

This is a two-part study. Part I is an observational study. Part II is a randomized clinical trial to see how well medical nutrition therapy works compared with standard care in treating patients with lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, or stage III or stage IV prostate cancer.

For the treatment of locally recurrent prostate cancer following failed external beam radiation therapy (EBRT)

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood and tissue from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer. It may also help doctors predict how patients will respond to treatment. PURPOSE: This research study is looking at blood and tissue samples from patients with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy.

The primary objective of this study is to determine the safety and tolerability of a gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy for prostate cancer. FP253 contains an ovine atadenovirus that expresses the E. coli enzyme purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) under the control of a prostate-directed promoter. PNP converts systemically administered fludarabine (the prodrug) into 2-fluoroadenine (the active agent) at the site where FP253 has been administered (the prostate). This localized conversion is expected to provide organ-targeted chemotherapy that should reduce the systemic side effects associated with classical chemotherapy and also reduce the risk of debilitating damage to tissues surrounding the prostate.

This is an investigational study on the use of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in the management of localized prostate cancer (T1c/T2a) as a primary non-comparative study. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive acoustic ablation technique that uses intersecting, precision focused ultrasound waves to raise the temperature of the target to) 80-90 degrees C in 2-3 seconds, destroying the targeted tissues (prostate cancer). The tissue targeting is highly precise, minimizing collateral damage. The overall hypothesis is that HIFU with Sonablate can safely, effectively and selectively ablate prostate cancer tissue, resulting in complete tissue necrosis, in patients diagnosed with localized T1c/T2a prostate cancer, with minimal morbidity. The specific hypothesis is that the Sonablate has the ability to: Completely destroy prostate cancer tissue, without causing damage to the intervening tissue, with a drop in PSA levels to <0.5ng/ml. Result in negative biopsies for evidence of viable malignant cells after the treatment (12 months if Nadir is not reached or PSA rises from Nadir) Safely treat localized prostate cancer patients, with minimal and acceptable adverse effects

We propose in this study to treat hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) patients., with a novel preparation of fermented wheat germ nutriment (FWGE), in combination with the 1st line hormone therapy, the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), which stopped being effective. The study will be conducted during two years with 60 patients. The efficacy will be assessed in terms of clinical and serological response and by specific questionnaires. This concept is based on previous reports regarding other diseases such as colon cancer, where the addition of a new drug to a drug which previously had failed, improved the patients' survival, the quality of life and the clinical parameters. In addition, preclinical data have shown activity of that regimen in prostate cancer cell lines and in animals' models. FWGE exhibits a wide variety of mode of actions, in a wide range of malignant tumors. It increased the natural immune responses while decreasing the systemic inflammation often present in cancer patients. It reduced the growth of human prostate tumor xenograft in mice and prolonged their survival. It delayed disease progression, increased overall survivals, improve quality of life and reduce oxidative stress. The long-term goal of this research is that the addition of FWGE to a drug which previously had failed, would slow down disease progression in patients with advanced and thus refractory cancers, improving the patients' quality of life, their clinical parameters and survival.

RATIONALE: Studying changes in thymus function in patients who have been undergoing androgen blockade therapy for prostate cancer may help doctors learn more about how well patients will respond to treatment, may help in planning cancer treatment, and may help the study of cancer in the future. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying the effect of androgen blockade therapy on thymus function in older patients who have undergone radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as docetaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving docetaxel after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. Sometimes, after surgery, the tumor may not need more treatment until it progresses. In this case, observation may be sufficient. It is not yet known whether giving docetaxel after surgery is more effective than observation in treating prostate cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying docetaxel to see how well it works compared with observation in treating patients who have undergone radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.

RATIONALE: The increasingly prolonged and extended use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in the treatment of prostate cancer, usually achieved through the administration of LHRH agonists, has raised concerns about long-term toxicities, in particular osteoporosis and adverse metabolic changes which may be associated with type II diabetes and increased cardiovascular risk. An alternative approach is to investigate other methods of ADT. Oral oestrogen has been shown to be as effective as LHRH and surgical orchidectomy in achieving castrate levels of testosterone and has equivalent or improved prostate cancer outcomes but is not used routinely as first-line therapy because of the risk of cardiovascular system (CVS) complications. The CVS complications have been attributed to first-pass hepatic metabolism. Administering oestrogen parenterally avoids the entero-hepatic circulation and so is expected to mitigate the risk of CVS toxicity whilst still effectively suppressing testosterone to castrate levels. This hypothesis has been supported by results from the early stages of this trial which have provided sufficient indication of the safety and efficacy of the patches to warrant further investigation of the treatment in this setting, as recommended by the IDMC.. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying how well the estrogen skin patch works compared with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist injections in treating patients with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer.

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Androgens can cause the growth of prostate cancer cells. Drugs, such as goserelin and bicalutamide, may stop the adrenal glands from making androgens. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Bevacizumab may also make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving bevacizumab together with hormone therapy and radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving bevacizumab together with hormone therapy and radiation therapy works in treating patients with high-risk locally advanced prostate cancer.