Active clinical trials for "Carcinoma, Squamous Cell"

This study will test the safety and effects of the experimental drug PS-341 plus radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancer. PS-341 can slow or halt the growth of cancer cells grown in culture or in mice. In addition, the drug appears to enhance the effectiveness of radiation treatment. Patients 18 years of age and older with head and neck cancer that cannot be treated adequately with surgery and cannot be cured with standard radiation and chemotherapy may be eligible for this study. Patients whose cancer has spread to the brain may not participate. Before treatment begins participants are evaluated with CT or MRI scans of the head, neck and chest area to determine the extent of the cancer; an electrocardiogram and blood tests; and a neurocardiovascular evaluation that includes measuring blood pressure in different body positions and involves injections of phenylephrine and nitroglycerine. Some patients may undergo a procedure in which a tube is inserted into the larynx (voice box), bronchi (breathing tubes) and esophagus (food tube) and tissue samples removed. This procedure is done under general anesthesia in the operating room. Patients receive radiation treatments Monday through Friday and injections of PS-341 twice a week during the radiation therapy. After 3 weeks of treatment, PS-341 injections are stopped for 2 weeks. Some patients continue to receive radiation treatments during the 2-week break, and others do not, depending upon when they enter the trial. The total duration of radiation treatment varies from 6 to 8 weeks, depending on whether the patient received radiation in the region of the head and neck cancer before entering the study. Patients have a blood sample drawn before and after each new PS-341 injection to measure the drug action in the blood and to see how strong and how long the effects on the blood last. They are seen in the clinic at least once a week for a history and physical examination. A blood sample is collected at each visit to look for toxic effects of PS-341. Near the end of treatment, the neurocardiovascular evaluation is repeated, and if the results are abnormal, it is repeated again 3 months after treatment is completed. X-rays or MRI scans are done 12 weeks after radiation therapy has ended and then every few months after that to determine the extent of disease. Patients whose tumor is accessible are asked to undergo a biopsy (removal of a small piece of tumor tissue) on the first and second day after receiving the first PS-341 dose to examine the effect of the drug on the tumor. The PS-341 dose is increased in successive groups of at least 3 patients until the highest dose that can be given safely with radiation is reached. Patients who develop severe side effects from the drug temporarily stop taking it to allow the side effects to improve. If needed, the dose may be decreased. Radiation therapy may also be stopped temporarily in patients who develop severe effects on the mouth, throat or skin. Side effects may be treated with increased fluid (by mouth, stomach tube, or vein), anti-nausea or anti-diarrhea medications, pain medications and medications to boost red or white cell counts or platelets. The drug Florinef may be given to help regulate body fluids and blood pressure. ...

Sorafenib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth. It may also stop the growth of tumor cells by stopping blood flow to the tumor. This phase II trial is studying how well sorafenib works in treating patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cance

RATIONALE: Gefitinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Giving gefitinib and paclitaxel together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of gefitinib and paclitaxel when given together with radiation therapy in treating patients with advanced or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma (cancer) of the head and neck.

This phase I trial is studying the side effects of gefitinib in treating patients with metastatic or unresectable head and neck cancer or non-small cell lung cancer. Gefitinib may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if the drug ZD1839 (Iressa) can shrink or slow the growth of cancer in participants with recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell cancer (SCC) of the skin. The safety of this drug will also be studied.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the risk of recurrence and metastasis in patients treated with different surgical margins (5mm vs 10mm) for a T1 squamous cell carcinoma of the lip.

This study examines tumor- en surgical characteristics of stage T3 cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas on the scalp, diagnosed between 2010 and 2018. Histological data and patient- and tumor characteristics were collected.

The objective of the current proposal is to determine if concentrated beet root could improve medical treatment compliance as defined by completion of radiotherapy and 3 cycles of chemoradiation without dose reduction, preserve fat-free mass, and strength while reducing mucositis. The investigators central hypothesis is that dietary nitrate supplementation in head and neck cancer patients receiving aggressive medical care will improve compliance with medical treatment by attenuating the loss of muscle mass and strength and reducing symptoms (mucositis) associated with treatment compared to patients receiving standard care with placebo.

The harmonic scalpel is a tool that may reduce operative blood loss. Some studies also indicate it may result in faster surgery. A recently published randomized study from our group shows the harmonic scalpel reduces blood loss in neck dissection but it did not offer any reduction in OR time. The present study investigates the utility of the harmonic scalpel in resections involving removal of oral cavity tissues as well as the neck. Oral cavity resections are especially prone to blood loss and we believe the harmonic scalpel will confer benefits in this type of surgery, potentially reducing the need for blood transfusion.

The intervention tested in this research project aims to reduce this inequality by improving the management of elderly head and neck cancer patients with a specific management. Indeed, the treatment of elderly head and neck cancer patients has specificities concerning treatment options, their tolerance, psychological management, nutritional and functional status, and support needed at home. To assess the overall needs of the elderly patients, an assessment known as "comprehensive geriatric assessment" (CGA) can be performed by a geriatrician with extensive testing and questionnaires. This assessment is long and requires an experienced geriatrician. It leads to the development of an individualized treatment plan (physiotherapy, psychological follow-up, support at home, nutritional management ...) and follow-up to adapt the necessary cares for the duration of the cancer treatment. The CGA utility has been studied in elderly patients with nonmalignant diseases. Studies have shown that CGA allowed improving survival and maintaining the elderly at home.