View clinical trials related to Esophageal Neoplasms.
Filter by:Although declining in incidence, gastric/gastroesophageal cancer is still a commonly diagnosed malignancy in Canada. Patients who have undergone surgical resection for early disease have a high rate of local recurrence and distant spread. More than 50% of patients present with either locally advanced or metastatic disease. Patients with advanced disease have an extremely poor prognosis, with average survival times ranging from 3 - 9 months. Development of new therapeutic approaches for locally advanced or metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal cancer, is clearly needed. Despite its proven efficacy, ECF (epirubicin, cisplatin, and infusional 5-fluorouracil [5-FU]) has not been widely adopted in North America and is likely due to the technical difficulties and inconvenience associated with infusional chemotherapy. This study will substitute the oral chemotherapy drug capecitabine for infusional 5-FU in addition to substituting intravenous cisplatin with carboplatin (ECC - epirubicin, carboplatin and capecitabine). It is hoped that these substitutions will not only reduce the typical ECF related adverse effects but also allow for a more convenient administration of outpatient chemotherapy. It is also hoped that the genetic correlates of this study may also identify specific populations that preferentially benefit from ECC treatment.
RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Cetuximab may also stop the growth of esophageal cancer by blocking blood flow to the tumor and by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and irinotecan, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving cetuximab together with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving cetuximab together with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy works in treating patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer that cannot be removed by surgery.
The purpose of this study is to characterize the safety and tolerability of AMG 706 plus panitumumab when administered with gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy. This is a Phase 1b clinical study.
This phase II trial is studying how well FR901228 works in treating patients with refractory stomach cancer or gastroesophageal junction. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as FR901228, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. FR901228 may also stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for their growth.
This study will test the safety and effectiveness of two experimental medicines - depsipeptide and flavopiridol - given together to treat cancers of the lung, esophagus, and pleura. It will determine the highest dose that these drugs can safely be given together and will test whether giving them together works better at shrinking tumors than giving either one alone. Patients 18 years of age and older with cancer of the lung, esophagus, or pleura, or other cancers that have spread to the lungs or pleura may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a medical history and physical examination, blood tests, electrocardiogram (EKG), x-rays and scans, pulmonary function tests, and a tumor biopsy (removal of a small piece of tumor tissue for microscopic examination). Participants are admitted to the hospital for treatment for approximately 10 days during each 28-day treatment cycle. Depsipeptide is infused through an arm vein or central venous catheter (tube placed in a large vein in the neck or chest) for 4 hours. When this infusion is complete, flavopiridol is infused over 72 hours. The dose of depsipeptide is increased four times over the period of the study with successive groups of patients, and flavopiridol is increased once to determine the maximum safe dose of giving these drugs together. Blood tests are done before and after each depsipeptide infusion and 3 more times for the next 24 hours, and at various times over 4 days during the flavopiridol infusion to evaluate the effects of the medicines. Samples are also drawn periodically throughout the treatment cycle to evaluate safety. Heart function is monitored with several EKGs before and during the depsipeptide doses. The drug has shown effects on EKG tracings, but does not appear to injure the heart muscle. Tumor biopsies are done before treatment begins and on the fifth day of the first treatment cycle. The biopsies may be done either in the operating room by passing a tube (bronchoscope) down the throat and into the lungs or in the Radiology Department using a thin needle put through the chest wall into the tumor. For the bronchoscopy, numbing medicine is sprayed into the back of the throat to reduce discomfort, and for the needle biopsy, the skin over the biopsy area is numbed. Optional repeat biopsies may be requested before the start of the second treatment cycle and on day 5 of that cycle. (The repeat biopsies are not required for participation in the study.) At the time of each tumor biopsy, a buccal mucosal biopsy is also done. This involves scraping a tongue depressor along the inside of the mouth to collect cells for examination. At the end of the first treatment cycle, patients return to NIH for evaluation with a physical examination, blood work, x-rays, and scans of the chest, abdomen, pelvis, and brain. Patients who are not experiencing significant drug side effects are offered a second cycle, exactly like the first. The two cycles complete one course of treatment, after which patients once again return to NIH for evaluation. Additional treatment cycles may be offered to patients whose tumors have shrunk or remained stable with therapy. Patients whose tumors have not responded to therapy or who have developed severe drug side effects are taken off the study.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Gefitinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining oxaliplatin and gefitinib with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of oxaliplatin when given together with gefitinib and radiation therapy and to see how well they work in treating patients with locally advanced or metastatic esophageal cancer.
Drugs used in chemotherapy such as cisplatin and fluorouracil use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Oblimersen may increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy by making tumor cells more sensitive to the drugs. This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of oblimersen when given with cisplatin and fluorouracil and to see how well they work in treating patients with locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic cancer of the esophagus, gastroesophageal junction, or stomach.
This phase II trial is studying how well arsenic trioxide works in treating patients with metastatic or unresectable cancer of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction. Drugs used in chemotherapy such as arsenic trioxide use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die
RATIONALE: Vaccines may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to compare the effectiveness of two different vaccines in treating patients who have cancer of the gastrointestinal tract.
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. Giving chemotherapy drugs and radiation therapy before surgery may shrink the tumor so that it can be removed during surgery. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy plus radiation therapy given before surgery in treating patients who have stage I, stage II, or stage III esophageal cancer.