Active clinical trials for "Sarcoma"

RATIONALE: Herpesvirus is found in the lesions of most patients with Kaposi's sarcoma, and may have a role in causing Kaposi's sarcoma. Valganciclovir is an antiviral drug that acts against many types of herpesviruses and may be an effective treatment for Kaposi's sarcoma. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how well valganciclovir works in treating patients with classic non-HIV-associated Kaposi's sarcoma.

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of ridaforolimus when administered once daily for 5 consecutive days (QDx5) every two weeks in participants with advanced sarcoma.

The purpose of the study is to determine the dose of the combination of trabectedin (Yondelis) and Doxorubicin for which neutropenia (low white blood cell counts) could be managed with filgrastim (a Granulocyte-Colony Stimulation Factor that is used to help control neutropenia) in patients with a type of cancer called soft tissue sarcoma.

This phase II trial studies how well depsipeptide (romidepsin) works in treating patients with metastatic or unresectable soft tissue sarcoma. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as depsipeptide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving paclitaxel together with carboplatin works in treating patients with persistent or recurrent stage III or stage IV uterine cancer.

RATIONALE: A peripheral stem cell, bone marrow, or umbilical cord blood transplant may be able to replace blood-forming cells that were destroyed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can make an immune response against the body's normal cells. Giving busulfan and melphalan with or without antithymocyte globulin before transplant and cyclosporine with methylprednisolone or methotrexate after transplant may stop this from happening. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects of donor stem cell transplant in treating young patients with relapsed or refractory solid tumors.

RATIONALE: Imatinib mesylate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well imatinib mesylate works in treating patients with locally advanced or metastatic dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans or giant cell fibroblastoma.

This phase II trial is studying how well oxaliplatin works in treating young patients with recurrent solid tumors that have not responded to previous treatment. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die.

This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of tanespimycin in treating young patients with recurrent or refractory leukemia or selected solid tumors. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as tanespimycin, work in different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die.

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) has been approved by many regulatory agencies world-wide and is in widespread use in the United States, Japan and Europe. In the United States, 18F-FDG scanning in oncology is approved for federal healthcare reimbursement for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, oesophageal cancer, melanoma, head and neck cancer and breast cancer. It has general applications in all areas where abnormal glucose metabolism may be present including in circumstances such as differentiating the tumour from scar tissue; evaluating the presence of the tumour in light of rising tumour markers and normal imaging techniques; and assessing response to therapy where other techniques are deemed to be unhelpful. Current literature suggests that functional imaging with 18F-FDG Positron Emission Tomography (PET) may play an important role in the imaging evaluation of patients with soft tissue sarcoma, including guiding biopsy; detecting local recurrence at sites of tumour resection; detecting metastatic disease; predicting and monitoring response to therapy; and assessing for prognosis. In appropriate situations, it is possibly the most effective diagnostic strategy. However, due to the low incidence of these tumours, prospective studies with large multicenter patient groups will be essential to define the exact diagnostic role of 18F-FDG PET in this clinical setting.