View clinical trials related to Esophageal Cancer.
Filter by:Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is a convenient tool for the screening of asymptomatic gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding while 「guaiac-based fecal occult test (G-FOBT) 」 is increasingly replaced by the use of an 「immunochemical-based test (I-FOBT) 」 that reacts with human globin, a protein that is digested by upper GI enzymes and is specific for detecting lower GI bleeding. However, in Taiwan, although the incidence of colorectal cancer is rapidly increasing, Helicobacter pylori-related upper GI pathologies remain highly prevalent, which may imply that mass screening solely based on I-FOBT could be insufficient as significant upper GI pathologies can be missed. Since I-FOBT dose not predict upper GI pathologies, the adjuncts of G-FOBT and H. pylori stool-antigen test (HpSA) may be a potential candidate to realize a pan-detecting assay based on stool samples in a population in which both lower and upper GI lesions are equally prevalent.
RATIONALE: PET scans done during chemotherapy may help doctors assess a patient's response to treatment and help plan the best treatment. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying PET scan imaging in assessing response in patients with esophageal cancer receiving combination chemotherapy.
In this study, a newly designed and FDA approved fully covered metal stents will be used to palliate 20 patients with malignant lesion of the esophagus. Dysphagia score will be assessed before and after treatment to confirm efficacy
The purpose of this study is to evaluate a cryoablation technique used to ablate human esophageal mucosa.
Elderly patients with esophageal cancer will receive thoracic radiation therapy 54-60Gy over 30 fractions, and concurrent with Gefitinib.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate overall survival and immunological monitoring for peptide vaccination therapy using novel cancer testis antigens (STF-II) for locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Background: - Recent research has shown that causing an immune response to tumor cells may help slow or stop the growth of tumors. One treatment that has come from this research involves collecting and modifying a cancer patient's tumor cells in the laboratory, then returning the cells to the patient as a vaccine to encourage the immune system to respond to them. Researchers are interested in testing tumor cell vaccines with an experimental drug called ISCOMATRIX , which can be added to a vaccine in order to elicit a stronger immune response in the body. ISCOMATRIX has not been approved for sale and use in any country and its use is still experimental, though it has been tested and used safely in other clinical studies. Researchers are also interested in determining whether the anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib will improve the body's immune reaction if given with the vaccine. Objectives: - To assess the safety and effectiveness of tumor cell vaccines given with ISCOMATRIX and celecoxib in the treatment of lung and esophagus cancers. Eligibility: - Individuals at least 18 years of age who have primary small cell or non-small cell lung cancer, esophageal cancer, or pleural mesothelioma that can be removed by surgery. - Only individuals whose tumor cells are able to produce a tumor cell line for vaccine development will be eligible for treatment. Design: - Participants will be screened with a physical examination and medical history, and will have tumor tissue collected during their surgery to determine whether the tumor cells can be used to produce a vaccine. - Participants will take celecoxib twice daily for 7 days before having the first tumor cell vaccination. Participants will also have leukapheresis to collect blood cells for testing before the first vaccination. - Participants will receive one vaccine (which may be given in two shots) monthly for 6 months, and will continue to take celecoxib twice daily. One month after the 6th vaccine shot, participants will have another leukapheresis and skin test. If these tests show that a participant is responding to the vaccine, additional vaccines will be given every 3 months for up to 2 years. - Participants will have a physical exam and lab tests before each vaccination, blood samples and imaging studies every 3 months, and a skin test every 6 months. - Participants will have regular followup visits with imaging studies and blood samples for up to 5 years after the first vaccination, or until a new tumor develops.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses a combination of a drug, porfimer sodium, and a light from a non heated laser. The activation of the drug is done by illuminating abnormal areas using a fiber optic device. The fiber optic device is a very fine fiber (like fishing line) that permits transmission of light. By itself, porfimer sodium is inactive. However it becomes active when it is put in the presence of a light source such as sunlight, very intense indoor light, or laser. Therefore, the main risk with this therapy is that the skin will be more sensitive to light, and this sensibility can last up to 90 days. The skin reaction is similar to sunburn and is called phototoxicity. To date, no product on the market has shown protection against visible light, and therefore, no product has been demonstrated to protect against the skin phototoxicity to visible light. A sunscreen sold under the brand name Solar Protection Formula® SPF 60 in the United States contains ingredients that provide maximum ultraviolet (UV) protection, as well as a formulation that could provide visible light protection. The product could potentially prevent the skin phototoxicity due to visible light, the most frequently reported side effect in patients receiving PDT with porfimer sodium. Therefore, this study is designed to assess the efficacy of topical application of Solar Protection Formula® SPF 60 as skin protector against visible light-induced skin redness and swelling following injection of porfimer sodium. It will involve 17 to 20 human subjects in the United States for whom PDT with porfimer sodium is planned for the treatment of high-grade dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus (pre-cancerous change in the food pipe tissue), lung cancer, or cancer of the esophagus (food pipe).
RATIONALE: Diagnostic procedures, such as positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning before surgery, may help measure the extent of disease. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying PET/CT scanning before surgery in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, or head and neck cancer.
The primary objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of nimotuzumab in combination with chemotherapy and radiotherapy for the treatment of locally advanced esophageal cancer, comparing it to that of the conventional treatment with radiation and chemotherapy. The secondary objective of this study is to assess the health-related quality of life for the nimotuzumab in combination with chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimen, compared to the standard chemoradiation regimen in the treatment of inoperable locally advanced esophageal cancer.