Purpose: This clinical trial will evaluate the safety and immune response of the sequential administration cancer vaccine CRS-207 followed by standard of care chemotherapy (pemetrexed and cisplatin). CRS-207 is a weakened (attenuated) form of Listeria monocytogenes that has been genetically-modified to reduce its capacity to cause disease, while maintaining its ability to stimulate potent immune responses. CRS-207 has been engineered to elicit an immune response against the tumor-associated antigen mesothelin, which has been shown to be present at higher levels on certain tumor cells (such as mesothelioma) than on normal cells. Pemetrexed and cisplatin are the standard chemotherapy regimen to treat malignant pleural mesothelioma. This trial will evaluate whether giving CRS-207 cancer vaccine with chemotherapy will induce anti-tumor immune responses and/or objective tumor response.
Closed
The ISET (Isolation by Size of Epithelial Tumor Cells) and the CellSearch Methods in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Purpose: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) has a growing incidence and in spite of early diagnostic, their outcome remains dismal. The evolution of MPM is often local with rare distant metastases. There is now a sizable body of evidence that metastases could develop from circulating tumor cells (CTC) spread in blood before or during surgery. Thus, sensitive and specific detection of CTC in blood is considered as a potentially relevant predictive biomarker for patients with carcinomas. In exchange, the prognostic value of CTC in MPM has not yet been evaluated.
Indeed, the main goal for preoperative detection of CTC is to identify patients with high risk of recurrence after surgery, in order to perform more adapted therapeutic strategy. Despite several studies reported about CTC detection, methodological aspects concerning sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility have prevented a clear appraisal of their clinical impact. Thus, the aim of our study is to evaluate the presence and the prognostic value of CTC in MPM by a double approach. In our setting, cytopathological analysis of circulating non hematological cells (CNHC), of epithelial origin, isolated according to their size (ISET, Isolation by Size of Epithelial Tumor cells) along with immunomagnetic selection, identification and enumeration of circulating epithelial cells in peripheral blood (CellSearch method) is considered a promising approach.
Early Detection of Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma in Workers Exposed to Asbestos
Purpose: This is a pilot study that aims to develop a lung cancer screening program for workers in British Columbia, Canada exposed to asbestos who are at risk of developing lung cancer/pleural mesothelioma. This is high risk population is at of respiratory system diseases as a result of their occupational exposures. Additionally, knowledge garnered from this study will allow us to develop other studies that will further our understanding of asbestos related lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Extrapleural Pneumonectomy /Pleurectomy Decortication, IHOC Cisplatin and Gemcitabine With Amifostine and Sodium Thiosulfate Cytoprotection for Resectable Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Purpose
This is a Phase I trial to study the efficacy of combination chemotherapy consisting of gemcitabine and cisplatin administered in the operating room and put into the chest and abdomen for one hour. We are also looking at the effects of heating the chemotherapy to a temperature of 42 degrees Celsius and the effect of cytoprotection agents: amifostine and sodium thiosulfate to counteract potential side effects of chemotherapy.
Rationale
After removal of visible cancer in the chest, chemotherapy drugs are used to kill or stop tumor cells from dividing, so that they stop growing or/and die. Cisplatin is currently used safely as in intra-operative treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma. This study is aimed to determine if the addition of gemcitabine as a second intracavitary chemotherapy can be accomplished safely.
Phase II Study of Six Hours Low Dose Gemcitabine Plus Cisplatin in the Treatment for Advanced Pleural Mesothelioma
Purpose
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare disease, but with a very high mortality. MPM is frequently found in advanced stages. The standard treatment in advanced pleural mesothelioma is cisplatin-based chemotherapy combined with pemetrexed/raltitrexed (phase III studies showed its benefit in response and overall survival compared with cisplatin alone). There are other active drugs such as liposomal doxorubicin and gemcitabine. Unfortunately, cost is an important factor to consider in our population and standard treatments are very expensive. Gemcitabine 250 mg infused over 6 hrs in combination with cisplatin, compared to the standard administration of gemcitabine 1250 mg infusion of 30 minutes in NSCLC, combined with cisplatin showed 75 mg shown in a study to be equally effective in treating cancer non-small cell lung. A phase II study using this strategy for advanced MPM has shown promising results. Gemcitabine administered in low dose in a six hour infusion may reduce cost of treatment without altering the effectiveness.
Cisplatin, Pemetrexed, and Imatinib Mesylate in Malignant Mesothelioma
Purpose
Determine the highest tolerable dose of drug combination (cisplatin, pemetrexed [Alimta®], and imatinib mesylate [Gleevec®]) that can be given to patients with unresectable or metastatic malignant mesothelioma.
Do Your Genes Put You at a Higher Risk of Developing Mesothelioma
Purpose: The purpose of this research study is to investigate the possibility that a person’s genes put a person at a higher risk of developing mesothelioma. The investigators will examine genes from DNA (genetic material) isolated from blood. This study will also examine the impact of environmental and work exposures and family history of common cancers on the development of mesothelioma. The genetic markers in this study will basically identify how a person’s body processes frequently encountered environmental pollutants and will not tell about chromosomes, specific diseases, or other potential health problems.
Adjuvant Tumor Lysate Vaccine and Iscomatrix With or Without Metronomic Oral Cyclophosphamide and Celecoxib in Patients With Malignancies Involving Lungs, Esophagus, Pleura, or Mediastinum
Purpose: During recent years, cancer-testis (CT) antigens (CTA), particularly those encoded by genes on the X chromosome (CT-X genes), have emerged as attractive targets for cancer immunotherapy. Whereas malignancies of diverse histologies express a variety of CTAs, immune responses to these proteins appear uncommon in cancer patients, possibly due to low-level, heterogeneous antigen expression, as well as immunosuppressive regulatory T cells present within tumor sites and systemic circulation of these individuals. Conceivably, vaccination of cancer patients with tumor cells expressing high levels of CTAs in combination with regimens that deplete or inhibit T regulatory cells will induce broad immunity to these antigens. In order to examine this issue, patients with primary lung and esophageal cancers, pleural mesotheliomas, thoracic sarcomas, thymic neoplasms and mediastinal germ cell tumors, as well as sarcomas, melanomas, germ cell tumors, or epithelial malignancies metastatic to lungs, pleura or mediastinum with no evidence of disease (NED) or minimal residual disease (MRD) following standard multidisciplinary therapy will be vaccinated with H1299 tumor cell lysates with Iscomatrix adjuvant. Vaccines will be administered with or without metronomic oral cyclophosphamide (50 mg PO BID x 7d q 14d), and celecoxib (400 mg PO BID). Serologic responses to a variety of recombinant CTAs as well as immunologic responses to autologous tumor or epigenetically modified autologous EBVtransformed lymphocytes will be assessed before and after a six month vaccination period.
Multicentre Study Comparing Indwelling Pleural Catheter With Talc Pleurodesis for Malignant Pleural Effusion Management
Purpose: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) accounts for 50% of all pleural effusions and affects about 300,000 patients annually (UK and USA). Lung and breast cancers account for majority of malignant pleural effusions; 1 in 3 breast cancer, 1 in 4 lung cancer as well as > 90% of patients with mesothelioma develop pleural effusions. Breathlessness from MPE is disabling and impairs quality of life. Median survival ranges between 4-6 months. Although thoracentesis provides effective symptom relief, most effusions recur and pleurodesis is the standard of care. Pleurodesis can be performed via chest tube or applied during pleuroscopy, and talc is the most effective agent. For successful pleurodesis to occur the underlying lung must expand after fluid drainage and trapped lung due to metastatic disease occurs up to 30%. Symptomatic patients require hospitalization for these procedures which are likely to fail if trapped lungs are encountered, and pose significant burden to health services. Tunneled indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) is emerging as a viable alternative which provides access to the pleural space for fluid drainage when breathlessness arise. IPC can be performed at ambulatory setting without hospital admission. Case series have demonstrated long-term safety of IPC even in patients undergoing chemotherapy with acceptable complication rates. By keeping the pleural cavity free of fluid, IPC has led to spontaneous pleurodesis in 50% of patients, which allows its removal. Presently IPC is indicated for trapped lung or when talc pleurodesis has failed. A randomised comparative trial with talc pleurodesis is necessary to determine role of IPC as first-line therapy of MPE, if IPC leads to reduction in hospitalizations, adverse events and healthcare costs, and if it improves quality of life. The multicenter trial randomizes symptomatic patients 1:1 to IPC or talc pleurodesis, and endpoints include hospitalization days till death or end of study, adverse events, quality of life, and healthcare costs.
- Arm: Experimental: Indwelling Pleural Catheter
- Day-case IPC insertion. Attendance d10 for drainage, stitch removal and education in catheter care.
- Device: Indwelling Pleural Catheter
- Arm: Active Comparator: Talc Pleurodesis
- Hospital admission for chest drain insertion and suction if needed, plus talc pleurodesis by slurry or poudrage if >75% of visceral and parietal pleura in direct contact on chest x-ray.
- Procedure: Talc Pleurodesis
MARS 2: A Feasibility Study Comparing (Extended) Pleurectomy Decortication Versus no Pleurectomy Decortication in Patients With Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MARS2)
Purpose: Mesothelioma is a cancer of the thin membrane that lines the chest and abdomen. Around 2300 people in the UK are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year and the average survival is approximately 17 months. Exposure to asbestos is the most common cause although the cancer does not usually become apparent until 30-40 years after exposure. Anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapy) are usually given to help treat mesothelioma and sometimes lung-sparing surgery (pleurectomy decortication) surgery is undertaken. However, it is not known if this surgery, in addition to chemotherapy, can increase survival and improve the quality of life for patients. The aim of the MARS2 study is to determine if it is feasible to enrol patients with mesothelioma into a study randomising them to chemotherapy only or chemotherapy and lung-sparing surgery. Patients will be followed up regularly at their usual clinic visits for to 5 years. Patients will be asked to complete a Quality of Life Questionnaire at these visits. Tissue samples will be taken at the time of diagnosis and at surgery (if they are randomised to surgery) for mesothelioma research central storage and blood samples will be taken at the clinic visits up to 12 months for mesothelioma research central storage. If we can show the feasibility of recruitment we will apply to continue the study to include more patients in order to determine if lung-sparing surgery improves survival and quality of life for mesothelioma patients.
