Saint Johnsbury

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 the effects of adding olaparib, a PARP inhibitor, after surgery and chemotherapy in patients with pancreatic cancer that has been surgically removed and who have mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, or PALB2 genes. This phase II trial aims to see if olaparib can improve relapse-free survival compared to placebo. The study also evaluates overall survival and differences in outcomes based on mutation type and prior chemotherapy treatment. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either olaparib or a placebo orally twice daily in 28-day cycles for up to 12 cycles, unless the disease progresses or side effects occur. During the treatment, patients will have CT or MRI scans and blood samples taken regularly. After treatment, participants will be followed up at 30 days, every 4 months for the first year, then every 6 months for up to 10 years. Throughout the study, patients will undergo imaging and blood tests to monitor their health and detect any recurrence of cancer. The main outcome measured is the time from randomization to disease recurrence or death. Researchers will also track overall survival for up to 10 years. Safety will be monitored, and participants will be observed regularly after treatment to assess long-term effects and disease status.

This research aims to evaluate the combination of two drugs, cabozantinib and nivolumab, in treating advanced melanoma or squamous cell head and neck cancer that may have spread locally or to distant parts of the body. The study focuses on how these drugs affect tumor growth and the immune systems ability to fight cancer. It also investigates how quickly patients can be grouped based on tumor biomarkers, specifically tumor mutational burden and tumor inflammation signature, to understand differences in treatment responses. Participants receive nivolumab through intravenous infusion on the first day of each 28-day cycle and take cabozantinib orally every day. Treatment cycles continue for up to two years unless the disease progresses or side effects become unacceptable. During the study, patients undergo CT or MRI scans and blood sample collections. Tumor biopsies are taken during screening and may be repeated during follow-up. After treatment ends, participants are monitored every 12 weeks for one year and then every six months for up to three years. Throughout the trial, participants are assessed with imaging scans and blood tests to monitor cancer status and treatment effects. Researchers measure the time to receive biomarker results and evaluate tumor response rates. They also track safety, disease control, progression-free survival, and overall survival over the two years of treatment. Specimens are banked for future research. Participants remain under observation for several years after treatment to gather long-term data on outcomes and safety.

Researchers are evaluating treatments for older adults aged 70 and above with advanced stage IIIB-IV non-small cell lung cancer that expresses PD-L1 in 1-49% of tumor cells. This phase III trial compares the effects of adding chemotherapy to immunotherapy with pembrolizumab against pembrolizumab alone. The study aims to assess improvements in overall survival, progression-free survival, response rates, toxicity, quality of life, and explore geriatric assessment factors and gut microbiome correlations. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. Arm A receives pembrolizumab intravenously every 21 days for four cycles, followed by maintenance pembrolizumab every 21 or 42 days for up to two years. Arm B receives the same pembrolizumab schedule plus one of several chemotherapy regimens, including combinations of pemetrexed, carboplatin, nab-paclitaxel, or paclitaxel administered intravenously on different schedules for four cycles, followed by pembrolizumab maintenance. Imaging with MRI, CT, and PET scans is performed at baseline and throughout the trial. During the study, participants undergo regular assessments including imaging scans to monitor disease status, blood tests, and quality of life questionnaires. After treatment completion, follow-up visits occur every three months for up to two years and then every six months up to five years. Researchers measure overall survival as the primary outcome and also track progression-free survival, response rates, adverse events, and patient-reported quality of life. Safety and tolerability are closely monitored along with exploratory analyses of chemotherapy dose intensity and microbiome factors.

Researchers are evaluating how to best recommend chemotherapy for patients with Stage IIB, IIC, or Stage III colon cancer based on the presence or absence of circulating tumor DNA ctDNA after surgery. This Phase IIIII trial explores whether ctDNA status can help guide decisions about the need for adjuvant chemotherapy and identify the optimal chemotherapy regimen for those at high risk of recurrence. Circulating tumor DNA is a promising biomarker that may detect microscopic residual cancer cells that traditional methods might miss. Participants are assigned to groups based on their ctDNA results after surgery. Those without detectable ctDNA ctDNA- may undergo serial monitoring without treatment or receive different chemotherapy regimens such as mFOLFOX6 or CAPOX for 3 to 6 months. Patients with detectable ctDNA ctDNA who have a higher risk of recurrence are randomized to receive either standard chemotherapy regimens like mFOLFOX6 or CAPOX for 6 months or a more intensive regimen called mFOLFIRINOX for 6 months. Central ctDNA testing is performed using the Signatera test to guide these assignments. During the study, participants have blood samples collected for ctDNA testing and undergo imaging scans to check for cancer recurrence. Researchers assess disease-free survival, overall survival, and chemotherapy compliance over several years. The study includes monitoring for safety and treatment effects, with follow-up planned for up to 5 years after randomization. Participants health status, laboratory tests, and tumor markers are regularly evaluated throughout the treatment and follow-up periods.

This research evaluates the combination of pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy drug, with radiation therapy after chemotherapy in patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer. The goal is to prevent the need for surgery to remove the bladder cystectomy following standard chemotherapy that aims to shrink or eliminate the tumor. This phase II trial focuses on bladder preservation and improving survival without bladder removal in this patient group. Participants receive photon beam radiation therapy daily from Monday to Friday for up to 20 treatments. Pembrolizumab is given intravenously on the first day of each 21-day cycle, for up to 18 cycles totaling 12 months, including the prior chemotherapy phase. Before and during treatment, patients undergo tissue collection via transurethral resection of bladder tumor TURBT, imaging scans such as CT, MRI, or PET, as well as cystoscopy and urine and blood tests. Throughout the study, patients are monitored for treatment effects, tumor recurrence, metastasis, and overall survival, with assessments of side effects and patient-reported symptoms related to gastrointestinal, urinary, and sexual function. After treatment, follow-up visits occur every 26 weeks until two years, then annually up to five years. Specimens are also collected for future research. The main outcome measured is bladder intact event-free survival within three years after registration.

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 investigating treatments for patients with metastatic kidney cancer, focusing on whether adding surgery to a standard immunotherapy-based drug combination improves overall survival. This phase III trial compares outcomes for patients receiving immunotherapy with or without surgery to remove the kidney, known as nephrectomy. Immunotherapy drugs like nivolumab, ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, and avelumab aim to help the immune system attack the cancer, while axitinib works to block tumor growth. The benefit of adding surgery to these drug treatments is not yet established. Participants first receive one of three standard immunotherapy-based regimens before randomization, including combinations of intravenous nivolumab, ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, avelumab, and oral axitinib. After about 10 to 14 weeks of this initial treatment, patients are randomly assigned to continue systemic therapy alone or to receive surgery to remove the kidney plus the same systemic therapy. Surgery may be radical or partial and performed using laparoscopic, open, or robotic methods within 8 weeks of randomization. Axitinib is paused before surgery and resumed after recovery. Throughout the study, participants undergo scans and clinical assessments to monitor tumor response and side effects. After completing treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months during the first year, then every 6 months for years two and three, and annually thereafter for up to seven years. The trial measures overall survival, tumor response in metastatic sites, changes in tumor size, and complications from surgery or drug toxicities. Specimens are also collected for future research to better understand the disease and treatments.

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 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.