View clinical trials related to Renal Cell Carcinoma.
Filter by:About 27,000 new cases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are diagnosed every year in the United States. 11,000 of these cases will die from the disease. More than half of patients present with advanced or metastatic disease for which chemotherapy plays a very limited role. Therefore, development of another therapeutic approach is needed. Cancers in humans are commonly associated with mutations in dominant and recessive oncogenes. These genes produce mutated proteins that are unique to cancer cells. Von Hipple-Lindau (VHL) gene which is associated with the development of the VHL disease, has been recently mapped and cloned, and it is found to be mutated in 57% of sporadic renal cell carcinomas. Data in mice have shown the generation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) that are capable of detecting endogenous cytoplasmic peptide derived from mutated oncogenes. In addition, we have recently demonstrated, by conducting different phase I clinical trials in which we vaccinate cancer patients with mutated Ras or p53 peptides corresponding to the abnormality patients harbor in their tumors, that in some patients we can generate immunological responses represented by the generation of lymphocytes (CD4+ and/or CD8+). In the current study, we would like to extend our observations to test whether VHL tumor suppressor protein can be immunologically targeted by vaccination. We have identified specific epitopes along the amino acid sequence of the VHL protein, which represent known specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class-I binding motifs. These amino acids stretches in the VHL protein correspond to the area of the point mutation hot spots. Therefore, we propose to treat patients with sporadic RCC who carry VHL mutations in their tumors with corresponding mutant VHL peptide vaccination. This vaccination will be done either by using pulsed-autologous peripheral mononuclear cells with the peptides, or peptides administered subcutaneously alone or in combination with cytokines.
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a class of membrane bound enzymes that are involved in the degradation of the extracellular matrix. MMP-2 and MMP-9 have been associated with the progression of cancer. It is hypothesized than an imbalance between MMPs and MMP inhibitors allows the destruction of the extracellular matrix and enhances the ability of the tumor cells to grow and metastasize. By inhibiting MMPs, it is thought that angiogenesis and metastasis can be inhibited. This is a phase I study of COL-3, an oral matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, in patients with refractory metastatic cancer. COL-3 is a chemically modified tetracycline derivative. Patients must have clinically progressive disease documented within 1 month prior to entry to be eligible for treatment. Patients must have also failed therapy of proven efficacy for their disease and have an ECOG performance status of less or equal than 2. Patients must be willing to travel from their home to the NIH for follow-up visits. Patients with brain metastases or primary CNS malignancies are not eligible. Concurrent therapy for their cancer (i.e., radiation therapy, chemotherapy, etc.) will preclude participation. We will be defining the maximum tolerated dose, the toxicity profile, characterizing the pharmacokinetics, and evaluating the effect of COL-3 on several biological endpoints.
We will investigate the clinical manifestations and molecular genetic defects of heritable urologic malignant disorders. Families with urologic malignancy with known or suspected genetic basis will be enrolled. Affected individuals or individuals suspected of having a germline urologic malignant disorder will undergo periodic clinical assessment and genetic analyses for the purpose of: 1) definition and characterization of phenotype, 2) determination of the natural history of the disorder, and 3) genotype/phenotype correlation. Genetic linkage studies may be performed in situations in which the genetic basis of the disorder has not been elucidated. ...