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Proton Beam Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Recurrent Thoracic Cancer Who Have Received Prior Radiation Therapy

Purpose

This pilot clinical trial studies proton beam radiation therapy in treating patients with thoracic cancer that has come back and have received prior radiation therapy. Proton beam radiation therapy uses high energy protons to kill tumor cells and may cause less damage to normal tissue.

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Women developing mesothelioma after talcum powder use

Considered to be a miracle fiber, asbestos use skyrocketed as more and more people embraced the flame-resistant substance. A known carcinogen, asbestos can infect the body and cause a variety of cancers, including mesothelioma. Many associate mesothelioma with construction tradesmen or steel workers, but its reach is much larger. The[…]

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αDC1 Vaccine + Chemokine Modulatory Regimen (CKM) as Adjuvant Treatment of Peritoneal Surface Malignancies

Purpose:
This trial is to determine the safest dose of a triple combination (chemokine modulatory regimen or CKM) of celecoxib, interferon alfa (IFN), and rintatolimod that can be given with a DC vaccine as treatment of peritoneal surface malignancies after standard of care surgery.

The first phase of this study will determine the safest dose of IFN that can be given in combination with celecoxib and rintatolimod along with a DC vaccine. The doses of celecoxib (400 mg) and rintatolimod (200 mg) will be consistent while the dose of IFN will be increased (5, 10, or 20 MU/m2) as participants are enrolled to the trial. The high dose of IFN in combination with celecoxib and rintatolimod will be used for the next phase of the clinical trial. After surgery, participants will receive 2 cycles of the investigational treatment.

The second phase of this study will test if the investigational treatment has any effects on peritoneal surface malignancies. The doses of the combination determined in the first phase will be used in this phase of the clinical trial. After surgery, participants will receive 2 cycles of the investigational treatment, followed by standard chemotherapy as determined by their oncologist, and then 2 more cycles of the investigational treatment.

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Doxepin Hydrochloride in Treating Esophageal Pain in Patients With Thoracic Cancer Receiving Radiation Therapy to the Thorax With or Without Chemotherapy

Purpose: This pilot randomized clinical trial studies the effects, good and/or bad, of taking doxepin hydrochloride compared to placebo (inactive drug) in treating esophageal pain in patients with thoracic cancer receiving radiation therapy to the thorax with or without chemotherapy. Doxepin hydrochloride is a tricyclic antidepressant drug which was recently shown to be helpful for mouth pain in patients receiving radiation therapy. Part of doxepin hydrochloride’s drug action takes place at the surface of the esophagus, which may be helpful in reducing the pain caused by radiation therapy.

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Photodynamic Therapy During Surgery in Treating Patients With Pleural Malignancy

Purpose: This pilot clinical trial studies photodynamic therapy during surgery in treating patients with pleural (the protective lining or membrane that covers the lungs and chest cavity) malignancy. Photodynamic therapy is an anti-cancer treatment that combines a photosensitizer (a substance that makes cells more sensitive to light), such as porfimer sodium, together with oxygen and visible light to kill tumor cells and/or damage the tumor’s blood supply. Intraoperative (during surgery) photodynamic therapy may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery.

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Recent rulings discipline careless asbestos handling

Three recent verdicts represent the lack of care still associated with asbestos removal. In each case, the defendants either performed botched removal jobs or exposed workers to the deadly fibers without proper protection. During the demolition of a vacant public housing facility in Buffalo, New York, two city inspectors failed[…]

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Study of the Glutaminase Inhibitor CB-839 in Solid Tumors

Purpose: Many tumor cells, in contrast to normal cells, have been shown to require the amino acid glutamine to produce energy for growth and survival. To exploit the dependence of tumors on glutamine, CB-839, a potent and selective inhibitor of the first enzyme in glutamine utilization, glutaminase, will be tested in this Phase 1 study in patients with solid tumors.

This study is an open-label Phase 1 evaluation of CB-839 in patients with advanced solid tumors. The study will be conducted in 2 parts. Part 1 is a dose escalation study enrolling patients with locally-advanced, metastatic and/or refractory solid tumors to receive CB-839 capsules orally three times daily. In Part 2, patients with each of the following diseases will be enrolled: A) Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, B) Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (adenocarcinoma), C) Renal Cell Cancer, and D) Mesothelioma. All patients will be assessed for safety, pharmacokinetics (plasma concentration of drug), pharmacodynamics (inhibition of glutaminase), biomarkers (biochemical markers that may predict responsiveness in later studies), and tumor response.

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Feasibility of an Early Palliative Care Intervention for Metastatic Cancer Patients. A Phase 2 Study

Purpose: The objective of this phase 2 study is to evaluate the feasibility of an early palliative care intervention for metastatic cancer patients. Feasibility will be assessed in terms of percentage of patients that accept the proposal of the early palliative care intervention and that effectively start to be followed in the palliative care out-patient clinic. The study will be performed in a consecutive series of newly diagnosed patients affected by lung cancer (NSCLC or SCLC, stage IIIb, IV), mesothelioma (stage II, IV), pancreas (stage IV), stomach (stage IIIb-IV).

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Asia’s asbestos epidemic grows as sales focus on the poor

In most Western countries, asbestos is a banned substance due to the associated health risks. Research supports the constraints with billions spent on removal. Unfortunately, not all areas of the world follow these beliefs and procedures. India is the world’s biggest asbestos importer, with double-digit and annual growth and a[…]

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