Active clinical trials for "Rectal Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: PD 0332991 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 and how well PD 0332991 works in treating patients with refractory solid tumors.

First-Line Bevacizumab and Chemotherapy in Metastatic Cancer of the Colon or Rectum

To determine the maximum tolerated dose of Vandetanib with a current standard first-line chemotherapy regimen, capecitabine and oxaliplatin without and then with bevacizumab for the first line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) and to define the dose limiting toxicities associated with the combination.

Pilot trial of pre-operative chemo/RT using Xeloda and external beam RT followed by definite surgery in patients with localized rectal CA

Primary: To assess complete pathological response rate of both strategies. Secondary: Safety profile To assess downstaging rate of both strategies. To compare relative dose intensity of oxaliplatin and capecitabine of both strategies To compare time to progression and overall survival of both strategies.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. 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. Bevacizumab may also stop the growth of rectal cancer by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving combination chemotherapy and bevacizumab together with radiation therapy before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy and bevacizumab with or without radiation therapy works in treating patients with locally advanced rectal cancer

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as capecitabine and oxaliplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving combination chemotherapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. It is not yet known whether giving capecitabine together with oxaliplatin is more effective than standard follow-up care in treating rectal cancer that was removed by surgery. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying capecitabine and oxaliplatin to see how well they work compared with standard follow-up care in treating patients who have undergone surgery for locally advanced rectal cancer.

The purpose of this study is to determine the pathological complete tumor response rate.

Regulation of tissue oxygen homeostasis is critical for cell function, proliferation and survival. Evidence for this continues to accumulate along with our understanding of the complex oxygen-sensing pathways present within cells. Several pathophysiological disorders are associated with a loss in oxygen homeostasis, including heart disease, stroke, and cancer. The microenvironment of tumors in particular is very oxygen heterogeneous, with hypoxic areas which may explain our difficulty treating cancer effectively. Prostate carcinomas are known to be hypoxic. Increasing levels of hypoxia within prostatic tissue is related to increasing clinical stage, patient age and a more aggressive prostate cancer. Several researches indicated that hypoxia might also play a role in esophageal cancer. In glial brain tumors, hypoxia is correlated with more rapid tumor recurrence and the hypoxic burden in newly diagnosed glioblastomas is linked to the biological aggressiveness. In brain metastases CA-IX expression (a marker for hypoxia) is correlated to the primary non-small cell lung carcinomas. Hypoxia enhances proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, chemoresistance and radioresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma. The hypoxic markers HIF-1α, VEGF, CA-IX and GLUT-1 were all over expressed in colorectal cancer and its liver metastases. Based on literature, hypoxia in tumors originating or disseminated to prostate, esophagus, brain and rectum cancer will be studied in this trial.

[F-18] Fluorothymidine PET imaging will be used to create a radiation therapy treatment plan to avoid active bone marrow in the pelvis. This will be done to evaluate if sparing bone marrow will help maintain blood counts. This would impact chemotherapy administration.