Active clinical trials for "Sarcoma"

Efficacy and safety of trabectedin in real-life practice, routinely used for the management of advanced sarcoma after failure of anthracyclines and ifosfamide or patients unsuited to receive these drugs in Germany. Trabectedin is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma, after failure of anthracyclines and ifosfamide, or who are unsuited to receive these agents. Efficacy data are based mainly on liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma patients.

This pilot phase I trial studies how well treatment with vincristine and bleomycin affect quality of life in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-associated Kaposi sarcoma.

This study is a prospective, non-randomized feasibility study. Freshly isolated tumor cells from patients will be screened using state-of-the-art viability assay designed for ex vivo high-throughput drug sensitivity testing (DST). In addition, genetic information will be obtained from cancer and normal (germline) tissue and correlated with drug response. This study will provide the platform for informing treating physician about individualized treatment options. The main outcome of this study will be the proportions of the patients whose treatment was guided by the personalized medicine approach.

The aim of this study is to identify demographic & disease characteristics in pediatric oncology patients diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma Family of Tumors (ESFT) & treatment outcomes in these patients.

Background: This study is a companion biology study to NIH protocol 08-C-0080, A Phase II Trial of R1507, a Recombinant Human Antibody to the Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Receptor for the Treatment of Patients with Recurrent or Refractory Ewing s Sarcoma, Osteosarcoma, Synovial Sarcoma, Rhabdomyosarcoma and Other Sarcomas. Analysis of tumor tissue and blood samples from patients with sarcomas who are receiving treatment with the experimental drug R1507 may help elucidate the biology of sarcomas and how they respond to certain therapies with monoclonal antibodies. Objectives: To study the effect over time of R1507 on the proteins and cells in the blood and tissue of patients with sarcoma in order to learn more about how patients respond to the treatment and what changes occur in their cells. To discover possible new treatments for cancer. Eligibility: Participants in NIH protocol 08-C-0080 for the study of R1507 to treat people with various sarcomas. Design: Patients who previously agreed as part of protocol 08-C-0800 to have blood sampling for pharmacodynamic studies (blood draws to test blood for levels of R1507 and how the body affects R1507) will not have any additional blood drawn as part of this study. Patients who did not previously agree to pharmacodynamic sampling as part of the protocol 08-C-0800 will be asked to give 6 blood samples at various time periods during the study. Pathology slides or tissue blocks obtained under protocol 08-C-0800 will be forwarded to F. Hoffmann-La Roche laboratories for analysis.

This study will determine whether the results of a test called reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) correlate with clinical outcomes in patients with Ewing sarcoma, and if they can be used to help identify patients at high risk for metastasis (spread of the cancer beyond the original site). This is a companion study to another NCI trial (AEWS0031), which is examining the effectiveness of an intensified chemotherapy regimen for patients with Ewing sarcoma. The primary purposes of AEWS0031 are to determine: 1) if chemotherapy given every 2 weeks can cure more patients with Ewing sarcoma and similar tumors than chemotherapy given every 3 weeks; and 2) if certain biological characteristics of these tumors can predict how well the chemotherapy will work. Many, but not all, patients with Ewing sarcoma that has not metastasized can be cured with standard radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy treatment. Most patients whose tumors have spread, however, are not cured with standard treatment. A goal of future therapy is to identify patients at highest risk for metastasis so that they can be given more intensive therapy, and, conversely, patients at lower risk of relapse can receive less toxic treatment. Patients enrolled in AEWS0031 are eligible for this companion study. No additional procedures re required; RT-PCR testing will be performed on blood and bone marrow samples collected for AEWS0031. ...

RATIONALE: New imaging procedures, such as whole-body MRI, may improve the ability to detect metastatic cancer and determine the extent of disease. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying whole-body MRI to see how well it works compared to standard imaging procedures in detecting distant metastases in patients with solid tumors or lymphoma.

RATIONALE: Determination of genetic markers for soft tissue sarcoma or rhabdomyosarcoma may help doctors identify patients who are at risk for therapy-related leukemia. PURPOSE: Clinical trial to study genetic testing of children with soft tissue sarcoma or rhabdomyosarcoma to identify children who are at risk of developing leukemia from the chemotherapy used to treat sarcoma.

Background: Kaposi s sarcoma (KS) is caused by a gammaherpesvirus called Kaposi s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), or human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8). However, infection with KSHV is not sufficient to cause KS, and HIV infection is an important cofactor. Treatment of HIV with potent antiretroviral therapy can reduce the risk of KS, and can also induce regression in patients with established HIV-KS. One mechanism by which HIV is believed to contribute to KS is through HIV-induced immunodeficiency which leads to a loss of immunologic control of KSHV and/or KS itself. However, other mechanisms may also contribute. Objectives: One primary objective is to assess the effects of the initiation of potent anti-HIV therapy on specific factors possibly linked to the control or pathogenesis of KS, namely serum viral IL-6 and plasma VEGF levels, in patients with KS or at risk for KS by virtue of being infected with KSHV/HHV-8. Another is to assess the effects of anti-HIV therapy on KSHV infection. Secondary objectives are to assess the effects of potent antiretroviral therapy on established KS and other factors related to KS or KSHV infection. Eligibility: The principal eligibility factors are age 13 or above, HIV infection, and either KS or infection with KSHV. Exclusion factors include KS that requires specific therapy, recent corticosteroid therapy, recent cytokine therapy, or opportunistic infections requiring therapy. Design: Patients will be treated with potent antiretroviral therapy. For patients with established KS, the effects of the therapy on the KS will be monitored. In addition, a variety of factors related to KS, HIV infection, therapy, or KSHV infection will be monitored. These include the HIV viral load, KSHV secretion in saliva, the CD4 count, serum VEGF levels, and serum IL-6 levels.

The purpose of this study is to find out why cancers develop in HIV-positive patients. Cancer is a leading cause of death in AIDS patients. Common cancers in HIV-infected patients include Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), a cancer of the immune system. Risk factors include certain chemicals, viruses, and perhaps even anti-HIV drugs. Doctors would like to find out which risk factors are most important and how they relate to cancer in AIDS patients.