Clinical Research Directory

A Prospective Study of Physical Function in Adults Who Receive Systemic Therapy for Stage I-III Gastroesophageal Cancer, FAST-GO Study

This study evaluates how the treatment for gastroesophageal cancer affects physical function in patients who receive chemotherapy as part of their treatment for gastroesophageal cancer.

Individually Tailored, Supervised, Remote Exercise Intervention to Improve Physical Function for Stage I-III Gastroesophageal Cancer Survivors, PRECISE Trial

This clinical trial tests an individually tailored, supervised, remote exercise intervention to improve physical function for stage I-III gastroesophageal cancer survivors. Modern treatments for gastroesophageal cancer are effective at treating the cancer but are often aggressive, can be difficult for patients to tolerate, and can lead to significant debilitation and a loss of independence. Exercise is one promising intervention that could improve physical function in patients with gastroesophageal cancer after finishing systemic treatment. Home based exercise interventions in patients with cancer during and after chemotherapy can improve fatigue and function. An individually tailored, supervised, remote exercise intervention may improve physical function for stage I-III gastroesophageal cancer survivors.

Early Recovery After Surgery Protocol in Improving Quality of Life in Participants With Stage 0-IIIC Gastric Cancer Undergoing Surgery

This phase II trial studies how well an early recovery after surgery protocol works in enhancing quality of life in participants with stage 0-IIIC gastric cancer undergoing surgery. The early recovery after surgery protocol may decrease pain and nausea, promote bowl function, decrease the number of days hospitalized, and improve a participant's ability to function normally after surgery.

Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy With Cisplatin and Paclitaxel for the Treatment of Patients With Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma at High Risk of Peritoneal Recurrence

This phase II trial tests how well concentrating heated (hyperthermic) chemotherapy in the area that contains the abdominal organs (intraperitoneal \[IP\]) at the time of surgery works in treating patients with gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma at high risk of the cancer coming back to the abdominal cavity (peritoneal) after a period of improvement (recurrence). Recurrence in the peritoneum often occurs within the first 18 months after surgery. This is thought to be due to tumor cells that may scatter and spread during surgery. Cisplatin is in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of tumor cells. Paclitaxel is in a class of medications called antimicrotubule agents. It stops tumor cells from growing and dividing and may kill them. Paclitaxel alone and in combination with other chemotherapy agents have been shown to be effective treatments for gastric tumors. However, systemic delivery of these drugs has not been shown to be effective in treating peritoneal metastasis. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a procedure that involves the infusion of a heated chemotherapy solution, such as cisplatin and paclitaxel, that circulates into the abdominal cavity. Giving HIPEC with cisplatin and paclitaxel at the time of surgery may reduce peritoneal recurrence in patients with gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma at high risk.

Feasibility of Auricular Acupressure for Appetite and Weight in Patients With Stage II-IV Gastric, Esophageal, and Pancreatic Cancer

This clinical trial evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of acupressure to the ear (auricular) to address appetite and weight in patients with stage II-IV gastric, esophageal, or pancreatic cancer. Cancer anorexia, the abnormal loss of appetite, directly leads to cancer-associated weight loss (cachexia) through malnourishment, reduced caloric intake, treatment side-effects, and other modifiable risk factors. Cachexia prolongs length of hospital stay for patients, negatively impacts treatment tolerance and adherence, and reduces overall patient quality of life. Auricular acupressure is a form of micro-acupuncture that exerts its effect by stimulating the central nervous system using adhesive taped pellets applied to specific locations on the external ear. The use of these pellets to deliver auricular acupressure has been shown to improve pain, fatigue, insomnia, nausea and vomiting, depression, and quality of life in both cancer and non-cancer settings. Auricular acupressure is a safe, inexpensive, and non-invasive approach to addressing cancer-related symptoms and treatment side-effects and may be effective at improving appetite and weight loss in stage II-IV gastric, esophageal, and pancreatic cancer patients.

Testing Immunotherapy (Atezolizumab) With or Without Chemotherapy in Locoregional MSI-H/dMMR Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction (GEJ) Cancer

This phase II trial compares atezolizumab in combination with chemotherapy (docetaxel, oxaliplatin, leucovorin calcium, fluorouracil, capecitabine) to atezolizumab alone for controlling the growth and/or spreading of the disease in patients with gastric or gastroesophageal junction (JEG) cancer that has not spread from where it first started (local) or only has spread to nearby lymph nodes or tissue (locoregional) and has high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) and mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR). The mismatch repair (MMR) system in the body corrects errors made during the copying of DNA and serves as a proofreading function. If this system isn't working correctly, mutations (changes) in DNA occur which can allow the cancer to grow or spread. This is called dMMR (deficient mismatch repair) . MSI-H describes cancer cells that have a high number of mutations within microsatellites. For example, microsatellite testing that shows mutations in 30% or more microsatellites is called microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H). Microsatellites are short, repeated sequences of DNA. There is evidence that MSI-H/ dMMR gastric or GEJ tumors respond well to immunotherapy. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as atezolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Docetaxel is in a class of medications called taxanes. It stops tumor cells from growing and dividing and may kill them. Oxaliplatin is in a class of medications called platinum-containing antineoplastic agents. It damages the cell's DNA and may kill tumor cells. Capecitabine is in a class of medications called antimetabolites. It is taken up by tumor cells and breaks down into fluorouracil, a substance that kills tumor cells. Chemotherapy drugs such as leucovorin calcium and fluorouracil 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. Using atezolizumab as immunotherapy with and following chemotherapy versus atezolizumab alone prior to and after surgery may shrink or stabilize the tumor in patients with MSI-H/dMMR localized gastric or GEJ cancer and may increase the length of time after treatment that cancer does not come back or get worse.

A Vaccine (Ad5.F35-hGCC-PADRE) for the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Adenocarcinoma

This phase IIA trial investigates the side effects of Ad5.F35-hGCC-PADRE vaccine and to see how well it works in treating patients with gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma. Ad5.F35-hGCC-PADRE vaccine may help to train the patient's own immune system to identify and kill tumor cells and prevent it from coming back.