43 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
RATIONALE: L-asparaginase is an important component of treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but is also associated with notable side-effects, including hypersensitivity, pancreatitis, and thrombosis. We have previously reported that patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in whom asparaginase treatment was discontinued because of intolerable side-effects had survival outcomes that were inferior to those who received all or nearly all of their intended doses. Two bacterial sources of asparaginase exist: Escherichia coli (E coli) and Erwinia chrysanthemia (Erwinia). Generally, the E coli-derived enzyme has been used as front-line therapy and the Erwinia-derived preparation has been reserved for patients who develop hypersensitivity reactions. Pegylated E coli asparaginase (PEG-asparaginase) has a longer half-life and is potentially less immunogenic than native E coli L-asparaginase, and has been used as the initial asparaginase preparation in some pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment regimens. PURPOSE: Although the pharmacokinetics of each of these asparaginase preparations: intravenous PEG-asparaginase (IV-PEG) and intramuscular native E coli L-asparaginase (IM-EC) have been well characterized, their relative efficacy and toxicity have not been studied extensively.
RATIONALE: Biological therapies, such as antithymocyte globulin may stimulate the immune system in different ways and stop cancer cells from growing. Sirolimus may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. It may also prevent or reduce the side effects of antithymocyte globulin. Giving antithymocyte globulin together with sirolimus may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of antithymocyte globulin when given together with sirolimus in treating patients with relapsed multiple myeloma.
RATIONALE: Silymarin (milk thistle extract) is an herb that may be effective in treating liver disorders caused by cancer therapy. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to study the effectiveness of silymarin in treating patients who have acute lymphoblastic leukemia with chemotherapy-related side effects to the liver.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of plasma cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Having a peripheral stem cell transplant to replace the blood-forming cells destroyed by chemotherapy, allows higher dose of chemotherapy to be given so that more plasma cells are killed. Giving a chemoprotective drug such as amifostine may protect kidney cells from the side effects of chemotherapy. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of melphalan given together with amifostine in treating patients who are undergoing peripheral stem cell transplant for primary systemic amyloidosis.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving the drugs in different combinations may kill more tumor cells. Chemoprotective drugs such as triacetyluridine may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy. It is not yet known which chemotherapy regimen is more effective in treating pancreatic cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of fluorouracil plus triacetyluridine with that of gemcitabine in treating patients who have locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer that cannot be treated with surgery.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Folic acid may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy and may increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy by making tumor cells more sensitive to the drug. Lometrexol may stop the growth of tumors by blocking one of the enzymes necessary for cancer cell growth. Combining chemotherapy with folic acid and lometrexol may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combining paclitaxel, folic acid, and lometrexol in treating patients who have locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors.
RATIONALE: Denileukin diftitox may be able to deliver cancer-killing substances directly to T-cell lymphoma cells. Dexamethasone may decrease the side effects of denileukin diftitox. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of dexamethasone in preventing side effects following treatment with denileukin diftitox in treating patients who have persistent or recurrent T-cell lymphoma.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy 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. Combining chemotherapy with radiation therapy may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy before, during, and after radiation therapy in treating patients who have limited-stage small cell lung cancer.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Chemoprotective drugs such as amifostine may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of combining docetaxel, cisplatin, and amifostine in treating patients who have advanced non-small cell lung cancer that cannot be surgically removed.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use 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. Drugs such as amifostine may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of amifostine plus chemotherapy and radiation therapy in treating patients who have limited-stage small cell lung cancer.
RATIONALE: Keratinocyte growth factor may prevent symptoms of mucositis in patients receiving radiation therapy and chemotherapy. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to study the effectiveness of keratinocyte growth factor in preventing oral mucositis in patients who have hematologic cancers and who are undergoing radiation therapy and chemotherapy before autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Drugs such as amifostine may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of amifostine to prevent side effects in patients who are receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy for limited-stage small cell lung cancer.
RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Drugs such as amifostine may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of amifostine in treating side effects of treatment in patients receiving radiation therapy and cisplatin for advanced head and neck cancer.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Chemoprotective drugs, such as amifostine, may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of amifostine and high-dose combination chemotherapy in treating patients with acute myeloid leukemia or chronic myelogenous leukemia.
RATIONALE: Amifostine may be an effective treatment for the toxic side effects caused by radiation therapy and chemotherapy. It is not yet known whether chemotherapy and radiation therapy are more effective with or without amifostine for non-small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to determine the effectiveness of amifostine in treating patients who have stage II or stage III non-small cell lung cancer that cannot be surgically removed and who are undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. Chemoprotective drugs, such as amifostine, may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of amifostine in treating patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia who are receiving idarubicin plus cytarabine.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Chemoprotective drugs, such as amifostine, may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy. PURPOSE: Phase IV trial to study the effectiveness of amifostine in treating patients with cancer who have neurological changes caused by chemotherapy.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs, such as amifostine, may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of amifostine plus cisplatin, paclitaxel, and radiation therapy in treating patients who have advanced unresectable head and neck cancer.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Chemoprotective drugs, such as amifostine, may protect normal cells from the bad side effects of chemotherapy. PURPOSE: Randomized phase I trial to study the effectiveness of amifostine in treating patients who are receiving chemotherapy for recurrent or refractory solid tumors.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Chemoprotective drugs, such as amifostine, may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of paclitaxel, carboplatin, amifostine, and radiation therapy in treating patients who have unresectable locally advanced or partially resected non-small cell lung cancer.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Deoxycytidine may protect patients from the side effects of high-dose cytarabine. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of high-dose cytarabine given with deoxycytidine in treating patients who have refractory acute myelogenous leukemia or other lymphoma or leukemia.
Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of irinotecan plus cyclosporine and phenobarbital in treating patients who have solid tumors or lymphoma that is refractory to standard therapy. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Cyclosporine and phenobarbital may enhance the effectiveness of irinotecan.
RATIONALE: Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and topical urea/lactic acid-based cream may prevent or lessen hand-foot syndrome caused by chemotherapy. It is not yet known whether giving pyridoxine with or without topical urea/lactic acid-based cream is more effective than topical urea/lactic acid-based cream alone or a placebo in preventing hand-foot syndrome. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying pyridoxine and topical urea/lactic acid-based cream to see how well they work compared with giving pyridoxine together with a placebo, giving topical urea/lactic acid-based cream together with a placebo, or giving two placebos in preventing hand-foot syndrome in patients who are receiving capecitabine for breast cancer or other cancer.
RATIONALE: Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) may prevent or lessen hand-foot syndrome caused by chemotherapy. It is not yet known whether pyridoxine is more effective than a placebo in preventing hand-foot syndrome. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying pyridoxine to see how well it works compared to a placebo in preventing hand-foot syndrome in patients who are receiving liposomal doxorubicin for recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer, metastatic breast cancer, or advanced endometrial cancer.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cyclophosphamide, etoposide phosphate, 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. Mannitol may help chemotherapy work better by making it easier for these drugs to get to the tumor. Chemoprotective drugs, such as acetylcysteine and sodium thiosulfate, may protect normal cells from the side effects of chemotherapy. Giving acetylcysteine together with mannitol, combination chemotherapy, and sodium thiosulfate may be an effective treatment for malignant brain tumors. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of acetylcysteine when given together with mannitol, combination chemotherapy, and sodium thiosulfate in treating children with malignant brain tumors.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as irinotecan and temozolomide, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Temozolomide may help irinotecan kill more tumor cells by making them more sensitive to the drug. Cefixime may be effective in preventing diarrhea that is caused by treatment with irinotecan. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of irinotecan when given together with temozolomide and cefixime in treating young patients with recurrent or resistant neuroblastoma.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as docetaxel and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Chemoprotective drugs, such as dimesna, may help prevent or decrease the side effects (such as nerve, kidney, and inner ear damage) caused by chemotherapy. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying giving docetaxel and cisplatin together with dimesna to see how well it works compared to giving docetaxel and cisplatin alone in treating patients with stage IIIB or stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.
RATIONALE: Octreotide may be effective in preventing or controlling diarrhea in patients who are undergoing chemoradiotherapy for anal or rectal cancer. It is not yet known whether octreotide is effective in treating diarrhea. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying octreotide in preventing or reducing diarrhea in patients who are undergoing chemoradiotherapy for anal or rectal cancer.
RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can locate cancer cells and either kill them or deliver cancer-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, etoposide phosphate, and cytarabine, use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption uses certain drugs to open the blood vessels around the brain and allow anticancer substances to be delivered directly to the brain tumor. Chemoprotective drugs such as sodium thiosulfate may protect normal cells from the side effects of carboplatin-based chemotherapy. Combining rituximab with chemotherapy given with osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption plus sodium thiosulfate may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining rituximab with combination chemotherapy given with osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption plus sodium thiosulfate in treating patients who have refractory or recurrent primary CNS lymphoma.
RATIONALE: Herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine may decrease the side effects of chemotherapy. PURPOSE: Randomized phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine in decreasing the side effects of chemotherapy after surgery in women who have stage I, stage II, or early stage III breast cancer.