Palos Heights

Researchers are investigating treatments for patients with stage IV or recurring non-small cell lung cancer who have previously received platinum chemotherapy and immunotherapy. This phase IIIII trial compares the effects of adding cemiplimab, an immune system-stimulating monoclonal antibody, to the usual combination of docetaxel and ramucirumab. The goal is to see if adding cemiplimab helps the immune system better attack tumor cells and improves survival outcomes. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group receives docetaxel and ramucirumab along with dexamethasone, while the other group receives these same treatments plus cemiplimab. Treatments are given in cycles every 21 days, with infusions lasting from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the drug. Patients undergo regular blood sample collections and imaging scans such as CT or MRI throughout the study. During the trial, participants are monitored for overall survival, disease progression, tumor response, and side effects. After completing treatment, follow-up visits occur every 3 to 6 months for up to 3 years. Blood tests and imaging help assess treatment effects and safety. Researchers also collect and store blood and tissue samples to support future studies.

Researchers are studying adults newly diagnosed with breast, colorectal, melanoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or non-small cell lung cancer who are planning to receive systemic cancer therapies such as chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors ICIs. The study aims to understand how cannabis and cannabinoid use relates to cancer-related symptoms over one year. This observational research includes patients treated in community oncology clinics and is sponsored by Wake Forest University Health Sciences. Participants complete surveys and allow medical record reviews throughout the study. The study tracks cannabis and cannabinoid use as well as perceived benefits, harms, and adverse effects monthly for 12 months following enrollment. An optional sub-study is available at select sites for patients with non-small cell lung cancer receiving specific chemotherapy with ICIs. During the study, participants fill out monthly surveys about their symptoms and cannabis use. Researchers also review medical records to assess cancer-related symptoms and treatment progress. The main measure is cancer-related symptoms assessed monthly for up to one year. Secondary measures include cannabis use patterns and adverse effects. Participation involves ongoing survey completion and record review, with the total study duration lasting 12 months post-enrollment.

Researchers are comparing two treatment approaches for patients with stage II-IIIB non-small cell lung cancer NSCLC that can be removed by surgery. The study evaluates whether giving standard therapy before and after surgery perioperative is better than giving it only after surgery adjuvant. This phase III trial focuses on chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which are current standard treatments aimed at controlling tumor growth and helping the immune system fight cancer. Patients are divided into two groups. One group undergoes surgery followed by chemotherapy and immunotherapy for up to one year if the disease does not progress or cause severe side effects. The other group receives chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy before surgery, then surgery, followed by immunotherapy alone for up to one year. Chemotherapy drugs may include cisplatin, carboplatin, pemetrexed, gemcitabine, docetaxel, or vinorelbine. Imaging tests like CT, MRI, or PETCT scans are done throughout the study. Participants will have surgery within a month of joining and receive treatments according to their assigned group. They will be monitored with scans and followed up every six months for up to 10 years to assess survival, disease progression, surgical outcomes, side effects, and immune responses. Researchers will measure event-free survival and overall survival as main results, as well as response rates and safety information over the long term.

Researchers are evaluating a treatment approach for early-stage hormone-sensitive, HER-2 negative breast cancer with an Oncotype recurrence score of 18 or less. This Phase III trial compares breast conservation surgery with endocrine therapy alone against breast conservation surgery with both radiation and endocrine therapy. The goal is to see if skipping radiation after lumpectomy is not worse in preventing cancer recurrence in the same breast. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive radiation therapy to the breast plus at least five years of endocrine therapy with drugs such as Tamoxifen, Anastrozole, Letrozole, or Exemestane. The other group will receive endocrine therapy only for at least five years without radiation. Radiation must start within 12 weeks of surgery if assigned. Endocrine therapy dosing and schedule are determined by the treating doctor. During the study, participants will have regular follow-ups up to five years to monitor cancer recurrence in the breast and elsewhere, survival, and breast preservation. Assessments will include clinical exams, imaging like mammograms or MRI, and pathology reviews. The main outcome is time to invasive or noninvasive breast tumor recurrence within five years. Some measures will continue through an average of 15 years, including breast conservation rates. Safety and overall health will be monitored throughout and after treatment.

Researchers are studying premenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer that is estrogen receptor-positive and HER2-negative, focusing on tumors with specific gene recurrence scores. The trial aims to find out if adding chemotherapy to ovarian function suppression plus endocrine therapy improves invasive breast cancer-free survival compared to ovarian function suppression plus endocrine therapy alone. This Phase III trial addresses the need for better treatments in younger women, given their higher risk and past conflicting study results on ovarian suppression and chemotherapy. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups one receiving ovarian function suppression combined with an aromatase inhibitor for five years, and the other receiving adjuvant chemotherapy followed by the same ovarian function suppression and aromatase inhibitor regimen. Choices for the aromatase inhibitor and gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist are made by the investigator, with options including drugs such as goserelin, leuprolide, or triptorelin. Endocrine treatment beyond five years is at the investigators discretion, and bilateral oophorectomy may be used instead of ovarian suppression if preferred. During the study, participants are monitored over 11 years from randomization, with measurements including invasive breast cancer-free survival as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes include disease-free survival, overall survival, recurrence intervals, menopausal symptoms, and pain during aromatase inhibitor therapy. Safety and treatment effects are assessed through regular evaluations, and participants continue to be followed long term to understand the impact of treatments on their breast cancer outcomes.

Researchers are studying adolescent and young adult AYA cancer survivors who had Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma to understand how social and genetic factors affect their health outcomes after treatment. These survivors face unique biological, clinical, psychological, and social challenges that may influence their risks for illness and early death compared to older or childhood cancer patients. The study aims to identify conditions increasing these risks and to better meet the needs of AYA cancer survivors. Participants will complete questionnaires about their quality of life and provide blood samples at the start of the study and again at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. This observational study collects health and treatment information without administering any medical treatments. The study assesses social-environmental risks, individual resilience factors, and gene expression changes to understand their impact on survival and quality of life. Participants will be asked to fill out health-related questionnaires and provide blood samples multiple times over two years. Researchers will measure disease-free survival, overall survival, comorbidities, and quality of life during this period. The study involves ongoing monitoring through questionnaires and blood tests to gather detailed data on how social and genetic factors influence long-term outcomes for AYA lymphoma survivors.

Researchers are evaluating whether high-dose gabapentin can reduce the need for opioid pain medications in patients experiencing mouth sores oral mucositis caused by chemotherapy and radiation treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Oral mucositis can cause severe pain and complications such as difficulty swallowing, weight loss, feeding tube placement, interruptions in cancer treatment, hospitalizations, and decreased quality of life. Opioids are commonly used to treat this pain but come with significant side effects and risks of long-term use. In this phase III trial, patients are randomly assigned to receive either gabapentin or a placebo starting at radiation treatment day 8. The medication is given orally once daily on day 1, twice daily on day 2, and three times daily from day 3 onward. Both groups also receive standard chemotherapy, radiation, and pain management. Treatment continues until symptoms improve and other pain medications are stopped, followed by a gradual reduction in the study drug dose. Blood samples are collected throughout the study. After treatment, patients are followed for up to 6 months. Participants will have their need for opioids monitored during chemoradiation, along with the time to first opioid use and pain scores assessed up to 4 weeks after treatment ends. Researchers will also explore opioid use duration, symptom and quality of life changes, adverse events, medication tolerance, body weight, kidney function, immune cell counts, and feeding tube requirements. Study visits include regular assessments, blood tests, and questionnaires to gather detailed information on patient outcomes and safety.

Researchers are comparing the rates of surgical and minimally invasive interventions, as well as any harms, in Medicare beneficiaries treated with the MILD procedure versus those treated with interspinous process decompression IPD for lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication. This observational study uses Medicare claims data to follow patients for 24 months after their initial procedure starting from January 1, 2017. The purpose is to evaluate outcomes between these two types of procedures without requiring prior patient enrollment or consent. The study includes two groups patients who received MILD, which is a percutaneous image-guided lumbar decompression performed under fluoroscopic guidance through a dorsal approach to the spine, and patients who received IPD, a different device-based decompression procedure. Data on reoperations and complications will be collected for both groups over a 24-month follow-up period using Medicare claims. Enrollment continues until the sponsor decides to stop. Participants involvement is passive as the study uses existing Medicare claims data. Researchers will monitor rates of harms related to the initial procedure and subsequent surgical or minimally invasive interventions over two years. No direct patient visits or interventions are conducted, and the study is exempt from institutional review board oversight. The total study duration extends to December 2026, covering cases treated since early 2017.

The Master Screening and Reassessment Protocol MSRP for the NCI MyeloMATCH clinical trials focuses on patients with myeloid cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia AML and myelodysplastic syndrome MDS. The study evaluates the use of a screening tool and specific laboratory tests, including rapid genetic testing of bone marrow and blood, to better identify biomarkers that can guide treatment decisions. The goal is to improve the ability to assign participants to targeted treatment studies or to continue standard care through a Tier Advancement Pathway TAP. Participants undergo bone marrow aspiration and blood collection for biomarker testing. Based on their mutational profiles, patients may be assigned to specific treatment substudies testing therapies tailored to their cancer or placed on TAP if no targeted treatment is available. The study includes various treatment regimens involving drugs such as azacitidine, venetoclax, daunorubicin, and others administered via intravenous, oral, or subcutaneous routes. Screening also includes echocardiography or multigated acquisition scans to assess heart function. Throughout the study, participants have ongoing bone marrow biopsies and aspirations, blood sample collections, and additional imaging such as chest x-rays, PET, or CT scans as needed. Researchers monitor treatment assignment timing, treatment responses, adverse events, minimal residual disease, and patient survival. The study aims to maintain access to investigational treatments and collect specimens for translational research. The total duration varies by treatment assignment and disease progression, with continuous monitoring throughout.

Researchers are evaluating how well radiation therapy with or without the chemotherapy drug cisplatin works in treating patients who have stage III-IVA squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck after surgery. This phase II trial aims to understand if adding cisplatin to radiation therapy improves disease-free survival and to explore the role of p53 mutations as a biomarker for treatment benefit. The study also assesses the safety and side effects of these treatments and looks for other genetic changes that might guide new therapies. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group receives intensity-modulated radiation therapy IMRT once daily, five days a week for six weeks. The other group receives the same radiation schedule plus weekly intravenous cisplatin for six weeks. After treatment, participants are followed up every six months for three years and then yearly for seven years to monitor outcomes. During the study, patients will have assessments including surgical tumor tissue analysis for p53 mutation, imaging scans to check for cancer spread, and blood tests to monitor health and organ function. Researchers will track disease recurrence, new tumors, or death for up to 10 years. Side effects will be recorded during treatment. The total study participation includes treatment over six weeks followed by long-term follow-up visits lasting up to 10 years.