View clinical trials related to Skin Neoplasms.
Filter by:The aim of this study is to analyze the differential expression of the miR transcriptome in the distinctive stages of the development of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (C-SCC). In this aim the investigators plan to recruit a cohort of 20 patients suffering of C-SCC and to collect from each of them, biopsies corresponding to i) non UV-exposed areas ii) UV-exposed areas, iii) actinic keratosis and iv) tumoral regions. Total RNAs will be prepared from each biopsy and the miRNA profiles will be characterized using a dedicated miR array.
This randomized phase II trial is studying how well giving ipilimumab with or without sargramostim (GM-CSF) works in treating patients with stage III or stage IV melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable). Ipilimumab works by activating the patient's immune system to fight cancer. Colony-stimulating factors, such as sargramostim, may increase the number of immune cells found in bone marrow or peripheral blood and may help the immune system recover from the side effects of treatment. It is not yet known whether giving ipilimumab together with sargramostim is more effective than ipilimumab alone in treating melanoma.
Background: - At the present time, there are no drugs that have been proven to work in patients with papillary kidney cancer that has spread (metastasized) beyond the kidneys. Researchers are interested in determining whether the combination of the drugs bevacizumab and erlotinib can be used to treat metastatic papillary kidney cancer. - Hereditary Leiomyomatosis and Renal Cell Carcinoma (HLRCC) is an inherited type of papillary kidney cancer (it runs in families). Papillary kidney cancer can also occur sporadically, or without a family connection. More research is needed to determine whether treatments for papillary kidney cancer, such as bevacizumab and erlotinib, work in inherited or sporadic types of kidney cancer, and if so, whether there are any differences. Objectives: -To determine the effectiveness of the combination of bevacizumab and erlotinib as a treatment for patients with (1) metastatic HLRCC kidney cancer and (2) metastatic kidney cancer not associated with HLRCC (or sporadic papillary RCC). Eligibility: - Individuals 18 years of age or older who have been diagnosed with papillary kidney cancer that has spread beyond the kidneys. - Participants may have either HLRCC or sporadic papillary kidney cancer. Design: - Participants will be screened with a full medical history, physical examination, blood and urine tests, and computed tomography (CT) and other scans to evaluate tumor size and treatment options. - Participants will receive 28-day treatment cycles of bevacizumab (given intravenously every 2 weeks) and erlotinib (a tablet taken by mouth daily). - Every cycle, participants will return for regular blood and urine tests. Every other cycle, participants will have imaging scans to assess tumor size and response to treatment. Female participants who have uterine fibroid tumors related to their kidney cancer may have additional scans to assess tumor size and response to treatment. - Participants will continue to receive treatment on the study until their tumors grow or spread to new areas (disease progression), intolerable side effects develop, a better treatment option becomes available, the study closes, it is unsafe to continue treatment, or the participant decides not to remain in the study.
Background: - Adoptive cell therapy involves taking white blood cells called lymphocytes from patients' tumors, growing them in the laboratory in large numbers, and then giving the cells back to the patient to allow the cells to attack the tumor. Because this process is lengthy and difficult to perform, researchers have been developing improved means of performing adoptive cell therapy. Researchers are now interested in comparing adoptive cell therapy with the standard treatment for metastatic melanoma (skin cancer). Objectives: - To compare the effectiveness of adoptive cell therapy with standard high-dose aldesleukin as a treatment for metastatic melanoma. Eligibility: - Individuals 18 years of age or older who have been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma and have not previously received aldesleukin therapy or cell therapy for their disease. - Participants must have at least one tumor that can be easily removed as part of the treatment procedure. Design: - Participants will be screened with a full medical history, physical examination, blood and urine tests, and imaging scans to evaluate tumor size and treatment options. - Participants will be separated into two groups, in which one group will have adoptive cell therapy and one will have aldesleukin treatment. - Adoptive Cell Therapy - Participants will have a tumor sample taken in order to collect white blood cells for treatment. Participants whose tumors do not provide sufficient white blood cells may be switched to the aldesleukin-only treatment group. - The white blood cells will be grown in the laboratory for several weeks. - Prior to receiving cell therapy, participants will receive chemotherapy for 7 days to improve the chances of successful treatment. - Participants will have cell therapy followed by high-dose aldesleukin treatment every 8 hours for up to 5 days. This treatment will be followed by 1 to 2 weeks of recovery time as an inpatient at the clinical center. - Participants will be evaluated at 12 weeks following the start of the study, every 2 to 3 months for the first year, every 6 months for the next 5years, and then yearly thereafter.. - Standard Aldesleukin Treatment - Participants will have high-dose aldesleukin treatment every 8 hours for up to 5 days (one cycle of treatment), and will have a second cycle of treatment 7 to 10 days after the first cycle. - If tests show that the tumors have grown, participants will be offered the chance to have additional cycles of aldesleukin, or begin a cell therapy treatment. - Participants will be evaluated at 12 weeks following the start of the study, every 2 to 3 months for the first year, every 6 months for the next 5years, and then yearly thereafter.
Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are the most common human cancer in the US and affect over 1 million people. There is no effective drug to prevent basal cell carcinomas of the skin. We hope to learn if an oral anti-fungal drug, itraconazole, might inhibit a marker of proliferation and a biomarker (tumor signaling pathway) of BCC development. Itraconazole is an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of fungal infections of the skin, and has been used for the past 25 years with relatively few side effects. It has been shown in mice to reduce a BCC biomarker and to reduce growth of BCCs. Thus, it may reduce BCC growth in humans.
We hypothesize that all human malignancies harbour a subpopulation of tumor initiating cells/cancer stem cells (CSCs) that drives tumor development and potentially recurrence or metastasis of the disease. The primary aim of this study is to develop strategies for prospective isolation/enrichment of CSCs from human tumors of different tissue origins. In addition, we will characterize the signaling pathways and/or tumor specific antigens that are specific for CSCs, in order to specifically target these CSCs as the endpoint of this study.
In psoriasis patients, thick psoriatic plaques can obscure these lesions, and clinicians rely heavily on visual inspection to recognize suspicious or atypical pigmented lesions. However, successful systemic treatment and subsequent clearing of psoriatic plaques may allow clinicians to better evaluate pigmented lesions, thereby increasing the likelihood of early identification and treatment of suspicious lesions such as nonmelanoma skin cancer and malignant melanoma.
The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and maximum tolerated dose of Photocyanine injection in photodynamic therapy of malignant tumor (especially skin cancer and esophageal cancer). Projected accrual: A total of 18-24 patients will be accrued for this study.
Skin cancer incidence continues to rise and ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in sunlight is the principal cause. Solar UVR can promote cancer development through its ability to suppress the immune system. The purpose of this study is to determine whether dietary supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can protect human skin from UVR-induced immunosuppression.
The investigators speculate that this tool may be used as an alternative and convenient non-invasive diagnostic of skin cancer.