Clemmons

Researchers are evaluating treatments for patients with BRAF-V600 mutant melanoma that has spread to the brain. This phase II trial compares two combinations encorafenib, binimetinib, and nivolumab versus ipilimumab and nivolumab. The study aims to determine which approach is more effective at shrinking and controlling brain metastases, and it also examines survival, response rates, and treatment safety. Patients are randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. One group takes encorafenib daily by mouth, binimetinib twice daily by mouth, and receives nivolumab through an intravenous IV infusion every 28 days. The other group receives nivolumab IV every cycle and ipilimumab IV over 30 minutes during the first four cycles, with cycles repeating every 21 days initially, then every 28 days. Treatment continues unless disease worsens or side effects become unacceptable. Participants undergo brain MRI scans before enrollment and throughout the study to assess tumor response using specific criteria. After completing treatment, patients are followed every six months for two years, then yearly up to three years. The study collects tissue, blood, spinal fluid, and stool samples for future research. Researchers monitor progression-free survival as the main outcome, along with overall survival, response rates, and treatment side effects.

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 monoclonal antibody treatments, rituximab and mosunetuzumab, for adults with previously untreated follicular lymphoma that has a low tumor burden. The study aims to understand which treatment better controls disease progression and improves outcomes over time. Both drugs target cancer cells but work differently, and this phase III trial evaluates their effectiveness and safety. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group receives rituximab intravenously and subcutaneously in cycles repeating every 56 days for up to five cycles unless the disease progresses or side effects become unacceptable. The other group receives mosunetuzumab subcutaneously in cycles repeating every 21 days for up to eight cycles under similar conditions. During treatment, patients undergo CT or PETCT scans and blood tests to monitor their disease and health. After completing the treatment phase, participants are followed with visits every six months for five years, then annually up to ten years. Researchers collect imaging and blood samples during and after treatment to assess progression-free survival and other health outcomes, including overall survival and treatment side effects. This long-term follow-up helps understand the treatments lasting effects and safety.

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 developing and testing a drone delivery system designed to bring automated external defibrillators AEDs quickly to people experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrests OHCA in rural communities. The goal is to determine if drones can deliver AEDs faster than traditional first responders and emergency medical services EMS, potentially improving survival rates. This project includes multiple aims focusing on analyzing existing data, optimizing AED placement, and piloting drone delivery in selected areas. The study involves integrating AED-equipped drones into existing FAA-approved drone-as-first-responder programs in rural and urban communities. The pilot test will take place in six communities, including four rural and two urban areas, where real-time and simulated OHCAs will be used to assess the drone programs ability to arrive before EMS, deliver AEDs safely without interrupting bystanders, and treat suspected cardiac arrest patients. Simulations will also test the drones delivery speed and deployment effectiveness. Participants will be patients aged 18 or older who experience non-traumatic cardiac arrest recorded in the CARES registry. Researchers will monitor time differences between drone AED arrival and EMS arrival, measure how often drones arrive first, and evaluate AED deployment success. Additional assessments include drone altitude during deployment and bystander AED use rates. The study will follow outcomes over periods of 6 to 15 months, with ongoing safety and effectiveness evaluations.

Researchers are investigating whether adding the drug Docetaxel to the usual hormone treatments, Androgen Deprivation Therapy ADT and Androgen-Receptor Pathway Inhibitor ARPI, can better control metastatic castration sensitive prostate cancer in men who have not responded optimally to initial hormone therapy. This phase III, international, open-label, randomized trial seeks to compare the effectiveness of this combined approach against the standard hormone therapy alone. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the standard hormone therapy with ADT plus ARPI or the same hormone therapy combined with Docetaxel chemotherapy. The trial focuses on men with metastatic prostate cancer who continue to have elevated PSA levels after 6 to 12 months of hormone-targeting treatment. Treatments are administered according to physician choice and assignment, and the study evaluates outcomes over a long period. During the trial, participants will be closely monitored with assessments including PSA levels and clinical progression over 39 months. Researchers will measure overall survival as the primary outcome, along with secondary outcomes such as PSA progression, PSA response, PSA kinetics, and progression-free survival. Participants must be accessible for treatment and follow-up to allow for complete documentation of treatment effects and adverse events throughout the study duration.

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 comparing two chemotherapy combinations for treating advanced, unresectable, or metastatic HER2 negative adenocarcinomas of the esophagus, gastroesophageal junction, and stomach. This phase III trial evaluates modified FOLFIRINOX fluorouracil, leucovorin calcium, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan with or without nivolumab versus modified FOLFOX fluorouracil, leucovorin calcium, and oxaliplatin with or without nivolumab. Chemotherapy drugs act to stop tumor growth by killing cells or stopping division, and immunotherapy with nivolumab may affect the immune system to hinder tumor growth and spread. Participants are randomized into two groups one receives mFOLFIRINOX plus nivolumab as clinically indicated, and the other receives mFOLFOX plus nivolumab as clinically indicated. Treatments are administered intravenously. Throughout the study, participants undergo magnetic resonance imaging MRI, computed tomography CT scans, and may provide blood samples. Nivolumab is given as needed based on clinical assessment during the trial. Participants will be monitored up to 2 years from randomization for overall survival, with secondary measures including progression-free survival, response rates, duration of response, adverse events, and patient-reported outcomes collected at baseline and during treatment cycles. Safety and tolerability are evaluated, and exploratory analyses include biomarker assessments such as PD-L1 combined positive score and cell-free DNA. The trial includes regular imaging and clinical assessments to track disease status and treatment effects.

Researchers are studying the relationship between low muscle mass myopenia at diagnosis and chemotherapy side effects in older adults newly diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer. This prospective cohort study also investigates how genetic differences may influence the link between myopenia and chemotherapy toxicity, focusing on overall survival in this population receiving specific chemotherapy treatments. Participants in this observational study are older adults with metastatic colorectal cancer who are starting or recently started 5-Fluouracil 5-FU based chemotherapy, alone or combined with other drugs like oxaliplatin, irinotecan, or immunotherapy. The study groups include adults aged 60-74 years and those 75 years or older. The study tracks chemotherapy toxicities over 6 months following treatment initiation. During the study, participants will be monitored for chemotherapy toxicities graded 3 to 5 and overall survival for up to one year. Researchers will collect information through questionnaires available in English or Spanish and assess the impact of muscle mass and genetics on treatment side effects and survival. The total participation time varies, with ongoing assessments during and after chemotherapy treatment.

Researchers are evaluating whether simply observing patients after surgery is as effective as continuing pembrolizumab treatment in preventing cancer recurrence in people with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer TNBC who had a complete response after receiving chemotherapy plus pembrolizumab before surgery. This Phase III trial aims to determine if stopping pembrolizumab post-surgery can maintain recurrence-free survival while potentially improving quality of life and reducing treatment burden. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups after finishing chemotherapy with pembrolizumab and surgery. One group continues pembrolizumab intravenously every 3 or 6 weeks for 27 weeks. The other group undergoes observation without further pembrolizumab for the same period. Throughout the study, patients have tumor biopsies and blood collected, along with imaging such as mammography, breast ultrasound, or MRI during follow-up. Participants will be monitored for recurrence-free survival and overall survival for up to 10 years. The study also assesses adverse events, quality of life, financial impact, and work productivity at about 27 weeks after starting the assigned treatment or observation. Safety and treatment effects are tracked through biopsies, imaging, blood tests, and patient questionnaires during the study and follow-up.