Active clinical trials for "Sarcoma"

: Soft Tissue Sarcomas are rare mesenchymal tumors with many subtypes. Clean margin-wide resection is recommended for treatment. The guidelines recommend that sarcoma treatments be carried out in sarcoma centers. In this study, the location, histopathological features, clinical and demographic features, recurrence, and prognosis of retroperitoneal sarcomas were investigated.

The purpose of this study is to understand safety and efficacy in participants with soft tissue sarcomas.

This research is being done to determine whether viral thymidine kinase (TK) expression in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) virus-associated tumors is sufficient to image.

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood in the laboratory from patients with cancer and their relatives may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer. PURPOSE: This research study is looking at blood samples collected from patients with Ewing sarcoma and their relatives.

The purpose of this study is to determine the ability of a specific imaging method, termed Diffuse Optical Spectroscopic Imaging, to provide metabolic and functional information which can be used to predict overall response to preoperative (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy in patients with sarcomas. Sarcoma patients face comparatively poor response rates to chemotherapy and early, non-invasive indications of response could provide physicians with the information necessary to make evidence-based changes in treatment strategies. Patients who do not demonstrate early signs of response would be spared the unnecessary side-effects of an ineffective chemotherapy regimen, and could either be switched to a different regimen or undergo surgery

This clinical trial studies genetic biomarkers from saliva samples in patients with Ewing sarcoma. Studying samples of saliva from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and identify biomarkers related to cancer.

This study is a phase IV post registration prospective observational feasibility study in patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcoma. Pazopanib is the registered treatment for patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma after chemotherapy with doxorubicin or ifosfamide. This study looks at the possibility of using 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography PET scans as an early biomarker of pazopanib treatment effect in patients. It also studies pazopanib pharmacokinetics to see if there are differences between elderly and younger patients. The primary objectives are: To evaluate whether early metabolic response is correlated to clinical benefit. To evaluate the effect of age (≥ 70 years) on pazopanib pharmacokinetics. The secondary objectives are: To evaluate whether early metabolic response (% decrease in FDG uptake due to pazopanib therapy) is correlated with pazopanib exposure. To evaluate whether early metabolic response (% decrease in FDG uptake due to pazopanib therapy) is correlated with the histological subtypes.

Diagnostic trial to study genetic differences in patients who have Ewing's sarcoma. Genetic testing may help predict how cancer will respond to treatment and allow doctors to plan more effective therapy.

This study will examine late effects of treatment for sarcoma (bone and soft tissue cancers) in children. Survival of patients with these diseases has improved over the years, but long-term adverse effects of treatment have also been noted. Patients previously treated for sarcoma in the NCI's Pediatric Oncology Branch who are in their first remission from sarcoma after completion of therapy and who have had no further cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiation therapy, cancer related surgery or immunotherapy) for at least 24 months may be eligible for this 3- to 4-day study. It will review the incidence and extent of the following late effects of therapy. Heart problems-The chemotherapy drug doxorubicin can cause acute and late injuries to the heart muscle. Patients will undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heart to look for changes and compare the findings with information obtained by standard echocardiogram (ultrasound test of the heart) and by MUGA (nuclear medicine scan of the heart). Gonadal dysfunction-The chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide may affect sex hormone production, leading to infertility, early menopause or brittle bones. Low sex hormone levels may also increase the risk for heart attack, obesity or fracture. Patients will have blood tests to measure hormone levels as well as mineral levels, lipid levels and blood cell counts. They will also have a DEXA scan to measure bone mineral density and a CT scan of the abdomen to evaluate the distribution of fatty tissue in the abdomen. Males will be offered a semen analysis as part of the fertility evaluation. Psychosocial problems- Cancer diagnosis and treatment pose a major life stress that can lead to problems with personal relationships, jobs, insurance, education, health care, and personal and professional goal setting. Some patients may become depressed or develop a psychiatric illness. Patients will fill out a questionnaire about their treatment, recovery, and aspects of their current life and will meet with a psychologist and psychiatrist. Changes in bodily function and capabilities-Patients who undergo surgery and radiation to treat sarcoma treatment may experience muscle, bone and joint changes. Patients will be interviewed about their performance of daily activities, physical limitations, and changes in skill levels. They will do a series of exercises and will have measurements of strength, mobility and physical skills, focusing on the parts of the body that were affected by the sarcoma and subsequent local therapy. Exposure to viruses-A number of patients received blood transfusions as part of their cancer treatment. Some transfusions were given before HIV screening became available. Patients will be tested for this virus as well as the hepatitis virus and HTLV-1 (human T-cell leukemia virus-1), for which there are also small transfusion-associated risks. Kidney function-The chemotherapy drug ifosfamide may affect kidney function. Patients will provide a urine specimen for kidney function tests. Immune function-Chemotherapy affects the function of infection-fighting immune cells called T-lymphocytes. A blood sample will be drawn for studies of the time involved in recovering full immune function.

We propose to test, by DNA linkage analysis of family pedigree members, the following interrelated hypotheses: 1) that sexual orientation is genetically influenced; 2) that the development of Kaposi's sarcoma and other outcomes of HIV infection in male homosexuals is affected by host susceptibility genes, circulating sex hormone levels, or HLA haplotype; and 3) that alcoholism and other psychobehavioral conditions are associated with homosexuality on a genetic basis and/or influenced by candidate behavioral loci. The subjects for these studies will be self-identified male and female homosexual probands and their relatives from families in which there are at least two individuals with homosexual orientation. All subjects will be adults, and will be referred through NIH physicians, private practitioners, and gay and lesbian organizations. Subjects will undergo a sexual orientation and behaviors interview, a psychiatric interview, and phlebotomy for HIV testing, HLA determination, endocrine measurements, and preparation of DNA from cultured lymphocytes. The DNA samples will be analyzed for a series of genetic markers that span the human genome and for candidate loci chosen for function.