View clinical trials related to Metastatic Melanoma.
Filter by:To compare the safety and efficacy of Allovectin-7® versus Dacarbazine (DTIC)or Temozolomide (TMZ) in subjects with recurrent stage 3 or stage 4 melanoma.
The primary purpose of this study is to determine the objective response rate (complete and partial response) for participants who receive tasisulam after one prior systemic treatment for unresectable or metastatic melanoma.
The purpose of this study is to measure the level of a specific protein, CXCL1, in the blood of patients with untreated, metastatic (Stage IV) melanoma. These levels will be compared to blood levels in normal controls. If the levels are elevated in metastatic melanoma, further studies to determine if this correlates with presence and extent of disease will be pursued.
Background: - Natural killer (NK) cells are large lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) that are important in the immune response to cancer. - IL-2 (Aldesleukin) is a substance the body makes that controls the growth and function of many types of cells. The Food and Drug Administration has approved IL-3 for treating metastatic melanoma and kidney cancer. (Metastatic disease is cancer that has spread beyond the primary site.) Objectives: To determine the safety and effectiveness of treating metastatic melanoma and kidney cancer with laboratory-treated NK cells and IL-2. Eligibility: Patients 18 years of age or older with metastatic melanoma or kidney cancer who have previously been treated with high-dose IL-2. Design: - Leukapheresis. Patients under leukapheresis to obtain NK cells for the treatment regimen. Blood is collected through a needle in an arm vein and directed through a cell separator machine where white blood cells are extracted. The rest of the blood is returned to the patient through a needle in the other arm. NK cells are removed from the white blood cells and treated for re-infusion into the patient. - Chemotherapy. Starting 8 days before infusion of the treated NK cells, patients receive intravenous (IV, through a vein) infusions of cyclophosphamide and fludarabine to suppress the immune system. - NK cell infusion. Patients receive a 30-minute IV infusion of NK cells 2 days after the last dose of chemotherapy. - IL-2 therapy. Within 24 hours of the NK cell infusion, patients receive high-dose IL-2 as a 15-minute IV infusion every 8 hours for up to 5 days. A second cycle of IL-2 is given about 14 days after the first. - Blood tests and biopsy. Patients have frequent blood tests during the treatment period and may be asked to undergo a biopsy (surgical removal of a small piece of tumor or lymph node) at the end of treatment to look at the effects of the treatment on the tumor immune cells. - Follow-up evaluation. Patients are evaluated 4-6 weeks after completing treatment. They have a physical examination, scans of tumor sites, blood tests and blood sampling (or leukapheresis) to examine the response to treatment. Patients who improve with treatment return for evaluations every month. Those whose tumor grows again after originally shrinking may receive one additional treatment course.
Background: - In a study in humans with melanoma, patients given total body irradiation to suppress the immune system in conjunction with chemotherapy showed a significant clinical response. - In previous studies, about one-half of patients given tumor-fighting cells (cells created from the patient's tumor cells and grown in the laboratory) showed some anti-tumor response. Objective: To determine whether tumor-fighting cells taken from a melanoma tumor and grown in the lab can more effectively at fight melanoma when the patient's immune system is suppressed and cannot attack them. Eligibility: Patients 18 years of age or older with metastatic melanoma who have tumor reactive cells available. Design: -Patients are assigned to one of two groups - those having received prior therapy with Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and those who have not. After five days of injections of filgrastim, a medicine to stimulated the growth of white blood cells, patients undergo apheresis or bone marrow harvesting, or both, to collect stem cells for later re-infusion. For apheresis, whole blood is collected through a needle in an arm vein and circulated through a cell-separating machine where the stem cells are extracted. The rest of the blood is returned through the same needle or a needle in the other arm. Bone marrow harvesting is done under general anesthesia. Stem cells are collected through a large needle inserted into the hipbone.-Patients' immune system cells and bone marrow function are eliminated with chemotherapy (7 days) and total body irradiation (3 days) so the patient's immune system cells will not fight the tumor-fighting cells they are given in treatment. - 1 to 3 days after total body irradiation, patients receive the tumor-fighting cells by intravenous (IV) infusion. After the cells are infused, they receive interleukin-2 (IL-2) infusions every 8 hours for 5 days. - 2 days after infusion of the tumor-fighting cells, patients receive the stem cells collected earlier by apheresis. - Patients are evaluated 4 to 6 weeks after cell infusion to look for tumor response to treatment. Patients whose tumor has not grown return to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) every 1 to 3 months for blood tests, scans and x-rays.
Background: - CD4+ cells are white blood cells that regulate the immune system by controlling the strength and quality of the immune response. - CD25+ cells are a subset of CD4+ cells that suppress or prevent immune responses. - RFT-5-dgA is an immunotoxin (substance that kills specific cells in the immune system) that kills CD25+ cells. - In mouse studies, RFT-5-dgA showed anti-tumor activity in animals studies. Objective: To determine whether the immune system of patients with metastatic melanoma (melanoma that has spread beyond the original site) can cause tumors to shrink if the patients are given RFT-5-dgA to remove their CD25+ cells. Eligibility: Patients 18 years of age and older with metastatic melanoma whose disease has progressed after receiving standard treatment. Design: - Patients receive RFT-5-dgA through a vein every other day for a total of 3 doses (one treatment course). Patients have routine blood tests during the week of treatment. - Four to 5 weeks after the last dose, patients are evaluated with a physical examination, blood tests and scans and x-rays to evaluate their tumor. - Patients whose tumor has shrunk or remained stable may be offered additional treatment with RFT-5-dgA up to a total of four courses. - Patients undergo leukapheresis or have several tubes of blood drawn from a vein to determine the effects of RFT-5-dgA on the immune system. This is done before the first dose of RFT-5-dgA, after the first three doses, and possibly during subsequent treatment courses in those patients who receive additional treatment. For leukapheresis, blood is collected through a needle in an arm vein and flows through a catheter into a machine that separates it into its components by spinning. The white cells are extracted and the rest of the blood is returned through another needle in the other arm.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether combination therapy with bevacizumab (Avastin), dacarbazine and interferon-alfa-2a (Roferon-A) is effective in patients with locally advancing or metastatic melanoma.
The purpose of this study is to determine the safety profile, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and maximum tolerated dose of RAF265 in patients with locally advanced and metastatic melanoma. Phase II portion of study (dose expansion) has been cancelled with Amendment 7 as of Dec 2011.
Background: -Although IL-2 can shrink tumors in about 20 percent of patients with metastatic kidney cancer and in 15 percent of patients with metastatic melanoma, it is not fully known how the drug works. Objectives: -To better understand how IL-2 causes tumors to shrink. Eligibility: -Patients 18 years of age or older with metastatic kidney cancer or metastatic melanoma Design: - 135 patients with melanoma and 110 patients with kidney cancer may be enrolled. - Patients are hospitalized for about 7 days for each treatment. They receive IL-2 intravenously (through a vein) over 15 minutes every 8 hours for up to 4 days or 12 doses. This constitutes one treatment cycle. - Research blood samples are collected daily during the first treatment cycle and for one or two days following the last dose. - Patients may be asked to undergo leukapheresis, a procedure for collecting large quantities of white blood cells. This involves collecting blood through a needle in an arm vein. The blood is directed through a cell separator where the white cells are extracted. The rest of the blood (red cells, platelets, and plasma) is returned to the patient through the same needle or through a needle in the other arm. - About 7-10 days after discharge from the hospital, patients return for a second treatment cycle but without research blood sampling. - 2 months after therapy, patients are evaluated with scans, and x-rays, and blood tests to evaluate the tumor and the effects of the treatment on immune cells. - Patients whose tumors shrink or remain stable may continue treatment (without repeating the full set of research blood samples) as long as they benefit from the treatment and do not develop unacceptable side effects. Patients who continue treatment are evaluated every 2 months for 3 to 4 times and then every 3 to 6 months.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Calcitriol may help temozolomide kill more tumor cells by making them more sensitive to the drug. Calcitriol may also stop the growth of melanoma by blocking blood flow to the tumor. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the best dose of calcitriol, the side effects of calcitriol when given together with temozolomide, and to see how well they work in treating patients with metastatic stage IV melanoma.