Lung Cancer

Optical Coherence Tomography of the Airway in Detecting Abnormal Cells in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Lung Cancer or Lung Disease

Rationale: Diagnostic procedures, such as optical coherence tomography, may help find and diagnose lung cancer or precancerous cells.

Purpose: This phase I trial is studying how well optical coherence tomography of the airway works in detecting abnormal cells in patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer or lung disease.

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N-AcetylCysteine vs. Placebo to Prevent Neurotoxicity Induced by Platinum Containing Chemotherapy (NAC-PNP)

Purpose: In this study we want to investigate the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), which is an anti-oxidant, in the prevention of cisplatin-induced neural toxicity, in patients treated for lung cancer with chemotherapy containing cisplatin.

Arm 1: Active Comparator
  • Drug: N-Acetylcysteine.
  • Intervention:
    N-Acetylcysteine intravenously once every 3 weeks 40 mg/kg.
  • Other Name: Fluimucil
Arm 2: Placebo Comparator
  • Drug: Placebo.
  • Intervention: Placebo once every 3 weeks intravenous saline fluid.
  • Other Name: Placebo

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Evaluation of Cell Changes in Blood and Tissue in Cancers of the Lung, Esophagus and Lung Lining

Purpose:

Background:
  • Chromatin is is the structural building block of a chromosome. It is found inside the nucleus of the cell and consists of a complex of DNA and protein.
  • Cancers of the lung, pleura (lung lining) and esophagus show profound changes in chromatin structure that may affect the course of disease in patients.
  • A better understanding of these diseases and the genetic changes associated with them may be helpful in developing new treatments for them.
Objectives:
  • To evaluate people with cancer of the lung, pleura or esophagus for participation in NCI clinical trials.
  • To obtain biopsies (small pieces of tissue) from tumor, normal tissue and blood samples to learn more about the cellular changes in blood and tissue in tumors of the lung, esophagus and pleura and surrounding structures in the chest.
Eligibility:
Patients 18 years of age and older with cancer of the lung, esophagus, pleura, mediastinum or chest wall, or cancers of other origin that have invaded the lung.
Design:
  • Up to 375 patients may be included in this study.
  • Patients undergo standard tests for evaluating the stage of their disease and for determining eligibility for an NCI investigational treatment study.
  • All patients undergo bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage ("washing" with salt water) to assess their tumor and collect a sample of normal tissue. Patients whose tumor is located on the outside portion of the lung may also undergo thoracoscopy to obtain a tumor sample. For bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage a tube with a light is passed through the nose or mouth into the lungs to examine the airways. Salt water is injected through the tube and then withdrawn to obtain cells for laboratory studies. For the thoracoscopy a small tube with a light is put through a small hole in the chest to obtain the tumor sample. Both procedures are usually done under general anesthesia. The tissue is examined to identify cell characteristics of people who respond to certain therapies and to identify markers on the surface of the tissue that may be useful in future research and treatment.
  • Blood and urine samples are collected from patients.
  • Patients who are eligible for a treatment study at NCI are offered participation in the study.
  • Patients for whom standard surgery, radiation or chemotherapy is more appropriate may receive treatment at NCI or with their own physician.
  • Patients who receive treatment at NCI return for follow-up examinations 4 weeks after discharge and then every 2 to 4 months depending on the nature of their cancer.

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Early Diagnosis of Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma in Prior Asbestos Workers

Purpose: Occupational exposure to asbestos is known increase the risk of developing cancer of the lungs (bronchogenic carcinoma) or of the pleura (mesothelioma). Symptoms are subtle and non-specific, diagnosis is often late and the prognosis consequently is dismal. Currently there is no accepted non-invasive tool for the early diagnosis of mesothelioma or lung cancer in asbestos-exposed subjects. In the last decade, low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been successfully developed and validated for the early diagnosis of lung cancer in high-risk smokers. Malignant mesothelioma might, in an early stage, resemble a benign pleural plaque, which is a common finding after asbestos exposure. We target to develop low-dose CT as a tool to serially image the pleural plaques, quantify their individual and overall volume, compute the growth rate with time, and, as such, identify the presence of mesothelioma early, before symptoms occur.

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Depsipeptide/Flavopiridol Infusion for Cancers of the Lungs, Esophagus, Pleura, Thymus or Mediastinum

Purpose: 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.

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