An international collaboration led by biochemist David Cortez reached revelatory conclusions in exploration of how cells tolerate DNA damage and genome instability. Est. reading time: 2 mins.
This phase II trial studies the effect of pembrolizumab alone compared to the usual approach (chemotherapy \[cisplatin and carboplatin\] plus radiation therapy) after surgery in treating patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that has come back (recurrent) or patients with a second head and neck cancer that is not from metastasis (primary). Radiation therapy uses high energy radiation or protons to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Cisplatin is in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Carboplatin is also in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works in a way similar to the anticancer drug cisplatin, but may be better tolerated than cisplatin. Carboplatin works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving pembrolizumab alone after surgery may work better than the usual approach in shrinking recurrent or primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
This study is being done to answer the following questions: Is the chance of rectal cancer responding the same if chemotherapy alone is given before limited surgery compared to chemotherapy and radiation therapy given together before limited surgery? If radiation therapy is not given, is quality of life better?
This phase III trial compares the effect of adding immunotherapy (brentuximab vedotin and nivolumab) to standard treatment (chemotherapy with or without radiation) to the standard treatment alone in improving survival in patients with stage I and II classical Hodgkin lymphoma. Brentuximab vedotin is in a class of medications called antibody-drug conjugates. It is made of a monoclonal antibody called brentuximab that is linked to a cytotoxic agent called vedotin. Brentuximab attaches to CD30 positive lymphoma cells in a targeted way and delivers vedotin to kill them. A monoclonal antibody is a type of protein that can bind to certain targets in the body, such as molecules that cause the body to make an immune response (antigens). 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. Chemotherapy drugs such as doxorubicin hydrochloride, bleomycin sulfate, vinblastine sulfate, dacarbazine, and procarbazine hydrochloride work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Cyclophosphamide is in a class of medications called alkylating agents. It works by damaging the cell's deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and may kill cancer cells. It may also lower the body's immune response. Etoposide is in a class of medications known as podophyllotoxin derivatives. It blocks a certain enzyme needed for cell division and DNA repair and may kill cancer cells. Vincristine is in a class of medications called vinca alkaloids. It works by stopping cancer cells from growing and dividing and may kill them. Prednisone is in a class of medications called corticosteroids. It is used to reduce inflammation and lower the body's immune response to help lessen the side effects of chemotherapy drugs. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Adding immunotherapy to the standard treatment of chemotherapy with or without radiation may increase survival and/or fewer short-term or long-term side effects in patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma compared to the standard treatment alone.
This phase III trial compares pembrolizumab with radiation therapy to pembrolizumab without radiation therapy (standard therapy) given after pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body (metastatic). Pembrolizumab is a type of immunotherapy that stimulates the body's immune system to fight cancer cells. Pembrolizumab targets and blocks a protein called PD-1 on the surface of certain immune cells called T-cells. Blocking PD-1 triggers the T-cells to find and kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy uses high-powered rays to kill cancer cells. Giving radiation with pembrolizumab may be more effective at treating patients with metastatic head and neck cancer than the standard therapy of giving pembrolizumab alone.
This Phase III Trial evaluates whether breast conservation surgery and endocrine therapy results in a non-inferior rate of invasive or non-invasive ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) compared to breast conservation with breast radiation and endocrine therapy.
