Clinical Trials Search at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

This phase II trial studies the side effects of talimogene laherparepvec and radiation therapy and to see how well they work in treating patients with newly diagnosed soft tissue sarcoma that can be removed by surgery. Biological therapies, such as talimogene laherparepvec, use substances made from living organisms that may stimulate or suppress the immune system in different ways and stop cancer cells from growing. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, photons. electrons, or protons to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Giving talimogene laherparepvec and radiation therapy may work better in treating patients with soft tissue sarcoma.

This phase II clinical trial studies how well multimodality therapy works before and after surgery in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as durvalumab, may induce changes in body’s immune system and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as carboplatin, nab-paclitaxel, and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Giving carboplatin, nab-paclitaxel, and durvalumab before surgery and using durvalumab with or without radiation therapy and cisplatin after surgery may kill more tumor cells in patients with head and neck cancer.

This phase I trial studies how well capecitabine and radiation therapy after surgery work in treating patients with invasive breast cancer that has not spread to other places in the body. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as capecitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Giving capecitabine and radiation therapy together may kill more tumor cells in patients with invasive breast cancer compared to capecitabine or radiation therapy alone.

This phase II trial studies how well reduced doses of radiation therapy to the brain and spine (craniospinal) and chemotherapy work in treating patients with newly diagnosed type of brain tumor called WNT) / Wingless (WNT)-driven medulloblastoma. Recent studies using chemotherapy and radiation therapy have been shown to be effective in treating patients with WNT-driven medulloblastoma. However, there is a concern about the late side effects of treatment, such as learning difficulties, lower amounts of hormones, or other problems in performing daily activities. Radiotherapy uses high-energy radiation from x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, vincristine sulfate, cyclophosphamide and lomustine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving reduced craniospinal radiation therapy and chemotherapy may kill tumor cells and may also reduce the late side effects of treatment.

This randomized phase III trial studies how well combination chemotherapy (vincristine sulfate, dactinomycin, cyclophosphamide alternated with vincristine sulfate and irinotecan hydrochloride or vinorelbine) works compared to combination chemotherapy plus temsirolimus in treating patients with rhabdomyosarcoma (cancer that forms in the soft tissues, such as muscle), and has an intermediate chance of coming back after treatment (intermediate risk). Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Combination chemotherapy and temsirolimus may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. It is not yet known whether combination chemotherapy or combination chemotherapy plus temsirolimus is more effective in treating patients with intermediate-risk rhabdomyosarcoma.

This phase III trial investigates how well nivolumab after combined modality therapy works in treating patients with high risk stage II-IIIB anal cancer. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread.

This phase IV trial studies how well standard chemotherapy works in treating young patients with medulloblastoma or other central nervous system primitive neuro-ectodermal tumors. Drugs used in standard chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading.

This phase III trial studies how well the addition of radiotherapy to the usual treatment (chemotherapy) works compared to the usual treatment alone in treating patients with esophageal and gastric cancer that has spread to a limited number of other places in the body (oligometastatic disease). Radiotherapy uses high energy x-rays, gamma rays, or protons to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Drugs used in usual chemotherapy, such as leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and capecitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Adding radiotherapy to the usual chemotherapy may work better compared to the usual chemotherapy alone in treating patients with esophageal and gastric cancer.