Clinical Research Directory

Biofield Therapy for the Support of Immunotherapy-related Symptoms Among Adult Cancer Patients - A Pilot Study

Cancer treatment with immunotherapy is often associated with symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and emotional distress, which may affect patients' daily functioning and quality of life. Additional supportive care approaches are being studied to better understand their potential role in supporting these symptoms. The purpose of this study is to learn whether a biofield therapy, called Reiki may help to support adults with cancer who are receiving immunotherapy and currently struggling with fatigue. Reiki is a non-invasive complementary therapy delivered by a trained practitioner who places their hands lightly near the body. It is intended to promote relaxation and support general well-being. Reiki is used as a supportive practice and is not considered a medical treatment or replacement for standard care. The secondary goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of delivering Reiki in this clinical setting. This includes examining recruitment, retention, adherence to study procedures, and overall participant engagement. Lastly, the third aim is to explore participants' experiences with Reiki through guided interviews. Participants enrolled in this study will first be asked to participate in a one-hour, one-on-one interview about their experiences with cancer treatment, their symptoms, and their thoughts about integrative care practices such as Reiki. After the interview, they will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: Immediate Reiki Group: If participants are assigned to this group, they will receive six weekly, in-person 30-minute Usui Reiki sessions from a Reiki master at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute. Before and after each session, participants will complete questionnaires about fatigue, pain, and stress. At the first and final sessions, a small blood sample will be collected to measure inflammatory biomarkers, and Electroencephalogram (EEG) hyperscanning will be conducted to measure brain activity and connectivity between the participant and the practitioner. Four weeks after the final session, they will complete the questionnaires again, followed by a short satisfaction survey about their experience. Waitlist Group: If they are assigned to the waitlist group, they will first complete a 6-week observation period that includes brief weekly fatigue questionnaires and two in-person 30-minute sessions with EEG measurements at Week 1 and Week 6. This will be followed by a 4-week period with no sessions, after which they will complete questionnaires about fatigue, pain, and psychological distress. Participants will then begin the same six weekly, in-person 30-minute sessions described above. As with the Immediate Group, they will complete questionnaires before and after each session. At the first and final sessions, a small blood sample will be collected and EEG hyperscanning will be conducted. At the end of the study, participants will also complete a short satisfaction survey about their experience. The investigators hypothesize that participants receiving Reiki will report improvements in symptoms and well-being compared to those not yet receiving Reiki, and that the intervention will be feasible to implement and acceptable to participants.

Short-Course Radiotherapy Followed by CAPOX With or Without Iparomlimab and Tuvonralimab in pMMR/MSS Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

This multicenter, randomized, controlled, phase III trial evaluates whether adding iparomlimab and tuvonralimab injection to CAPOX consolidation chemotherapy after short-course radiotherapy improves tumor response in patients with treatment-naive, proficient mismatch repair/microsatellite-stable (pMMR/MSS) locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma. Eligible patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive short-course radiotherapy followed by CAPOX plus iparomlimab and tuvonralimab, or short-course radiotherapy followed by CAPOX alone. After total neoadjuvant therapy, patients with a clinical complete response may undergo a Watch-and-Wait strategy, whereas other patients will undergo total mesorectal excision according to standard clinical practice. The primary endpoint is complete response rate, defined as pathologic complete response after surgery or clinical complete response sustained for more than 1 year. Secondary endpoints include 3-year relapse-free survival, 3-year overall survival, sphincter preservation rate, and grade 3-4 acute adverse events. Exploratory analyses will assess tissue and blood biomarkers associated with treatment response.

Investigating Real-Time Immunotherapy Symptoms Study

The goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using information from wearable devices and self-reported symptoms to remotely monitor patients during immunotherapy. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is the digital remote patient monitoring tool feasible and acceptable to patients? * Do the alerts and guidance improve symptom management, quality of life, and engagement with the care team during treatment? Participants will: * Complete a demographic questionnaire at the beginning of the study and quality-of-life and health questionnaires at the beginning, midpoint, and end of study. * As feasible: At the beginning and end of the study, complete an in-person physical function assessment measuring balance (Short Physical Performance Battery). If participant is randomly assigned to the intervention group, they will also: * Complete weekly symptom ratings via digital remote patient monitoring tool * Wear a Fitbit activity tracker for 90 days. * At the end of the study, complete a semi-structured interview to provide feedback on the study.

A Clinical Trial of Neoadjuvant Targeted Therapy, Immunotherapy, and Lysogenic HSV-Based Virotherapy in Resectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Evaluation of the safety and tolerability of immune-targeted therapy combined with neoadjuvant therapy with lysogenic HSV virus for patients with surgically resectable squamous carcinoma of the head and neck.

mFOLFOX6+Bevacizumab+PD-1 Monoclonal Antibody in Local Advanced MSS CRC

Immunotherapy has achieved significant therapeutic effect in DNA mismatch repair-deficient or microsatellite instability-high (dMMR/MSI-H) colorectal cancer (CRC). However, for proficient mismatch repair(pMMR)/microsatellite stable(MSS) CRC, the curative effect of PD-1 monoclonal antibody was poor and most of the data came from stage Ⅳ patients with distant metastasis. Among the whole CRC patients, more than eighty-five percent were pMMR/MSS CRC. It would be very inspiring when major CRC patients(pMMR/MSS) could be benefit from immunotherapy. For T4NxM0 CRC patients, R0 resection was difficult to achieve. If the patients could not got R0 resection, which means the tumors were almost destined to recurrent and patients life time were counting down. Whether combined treatment of mFOLFOX6+ Bevacizumab+PD-1 monoclonal antibody could maximize the curative effect was still unknown. This study aims to evaluate the effect and safety of mFOLFOX6+ Bevacizumab+PD-1 monoclonal antibody treatment combinations in patients with local advanced(T4NxM0) pMMR/MSS CRC.

A Clinical Trial Comparing Low-Dose RT + Targeted Therapy+ Immunotherapy vs Targeted Therapy+ Immunotherapy Alone as Neoadjuvant Therapy in Operable HNSCC Patients.

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of neoadjuvant low-dose radiotherapy combined with targeted therapy and immunotherapy versus targeted therapy and immunotherapy alone in patients with resectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Observational Basket Trial to Collect Tissue to Develop and Train a Live Tumor Diagnostic Platform (ELEPHAS-02)

The primary objective of this study is to develop and train the Elephas live tumor diagnostic platform and determine the ex-vivo accuracy of the Elephas Score using in-vivo RECIST 1.1 as the reference method

Predicting Response to Immunotherapy From Analysis of Live Tumor Biopsies (ELEPHAS-05)

This study will collect tumor specimens with correlated clinical and demographic data from patients who are undergoing a biopsy or similar procedure to obtain tumor tissue as a normal course of their medical management or diagnostic work-up for suspected or confirmed cancer.

A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Phase II Study of Short-Course Radiotherapy Followed by Sequential PD-1 Inhibitor and FOLFOX Chemotherapy Versus Long-Course Chemoradiotherapy for High-Risk Locally Advanced pMMR/MSS Lower Rectal Adenocarcinoma (STAR Trial)

This study adopts a prospective randomized controlled design to evaluate the efficacy and safety of short-course radiotherapy followed by sequential PD-1 inhibitor and FOLFOX chemotherapy versus conventional regimens in high-risk locally advanced pMMR/MSS lower rectal adenocarcinoma, aiming to provide high-level evidence supporting a novel treatment paradigm.

Continuous Temperature Monitoring (CTM) for Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), an Immune-Related Adverse Event

Background: Drugs or cell therapies to treat cancer can sometimes cause cytokine release syndrome (CRS). That is, the body makes too many cytokines after treatment. Cytokines are proteins that play a role in the immune system. CRS can cause fever, chills, fatigue, low blood pressure, or breathing problems. Researchers want to know if continuously monitoring a person s body temperature can help reduce the chance of getting serious CRS. Objective: To learn if an approved patch called TempTraq can detect fever before serious CRS develops. Eligibility: People aged 18 years and older with cancer who are staying at the NIH clinic for treatment with drugs or cell therapies. Design: Participants will receive TempTraq patches and a special NIH tablet. The TempTraq is a small patch applied to clean, dry skin under the arm. It continually monitors body temperature and sends the data to an application on the tablet. Participants will wear the patch most of the time they are admitted to the hospital. They could wear it for up to 15 days. The patch monitoring does not replace regular temperature checks, all participants will still have have their regular temperature checks as part of their treatment plan. Participants may also opt to use VitalTraq, another application on the tablet. They will hold the screen up to their face for about 1 minute. VitalTraq uses the camera in the tablet to measure blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. They will do this once per day while they are in the clinic; they may do it more often if they have a fever or feel unwell. Blood may be drawn for research. Participants will be asked about their experience within 1 week after TempTraq is removed. Participants who choose to use the patch, complete its use, and return at a later date for another treatment or study, may be able to re-enroll to have the patch used again.

Retrospective Study of COVID-19 Vaccines in Patients Undergoing Immunotherapy for Cancer.

The investigators wish to set up a pharmaco-epidemiological cohort within the Hospital Territorial Groups of the Cévennes-Gard Camargue, East-Hérault and Haute-Garonne and West Tarn on a specific population, patients undergoing immunotherapy for cancer, as currently there is no data available under "real life" conditions following anti-COVID vaccination19. The hypothesis is that patients undergoing immunotherapy will not develop more vaccine-related adverse events than those observed in the efficacy and safety validation studies of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19, mRNA-1273 SARS CoV-2, Oxford/AstraZeneca and Ad26COV2.S, JMJ Vaccine or J \& J COVID-19 Vaccine.

EXERCISE AND THE IMMUNE RESPONSE IN LUNG CANCER

This project is about the effect of a 12-week training therapy intervention in patients suffering from non-small cell and small-cell lung cancer. It has widely been accepted that exercise is preventive against certain types of cancer. Individuals following an active lifestyle have a significantly lower risk for several chronic diseases, including cancer, as compared to sedentary ones. However, evidence is still lacking for exercise as part of routine cancer treatment. It has widely been accepted that exercise strongly impacts immune response, and might influence antitumor immune response as well. In this study, patients suffering from lung cancer undergo either a 12-week training program consisting of moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE), or a 12-week program with high-intensity interval exercise. Both groups will be compared to a control group receiving standard exercise recommendations. The immunologic response, i.e. cytokine profiles and changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) characteristics will be the main endpoint. Blood will be taken from the patients at different timepoints, and blood samples will be tested for these immunologic changes. FACS analysis will be used to assess the properties of immune cells and potential changes upon the exercise regimen. Mitochondrial function will be assessed via the Seahorse machine, and mass spectrometry (lipidomics) will be used for the analysis of lipid profile changes.

Mechanism of Enhanced Efficacy of Ivonescimab in Neoadjuvant Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

This is an exploratory clinical study focusing on the neoadjuvant treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study primarily aims to compare the efficacy and safety of Ivonescimab, a novel PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody, with those of conventional PD-1 inhibitors. Beyond evaluating its direct therapeutic benefits, this research also seeks to elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying the enhanced efficacy of Ivonescimab. Additionally, the study will conduct secondary exploratory analyses, including the identification and validation of predictive and prognostic biomarkers, as well as multi-omics profiling to investigate the molecular mechanisms of action. Collectively, these efforts aim to provide comprehensive experimental data to support the rational clinical application of Ivonescimab and the development of precision medicine strategies for NSCLC.

Phase II, Single-arm Exploratory Clinical Study of Tislelizumab Combined With Anlotinib in the Treatment of Advanced Pulmonary Pleomorphic Carcinoma

Evaluate the efficacy and safety of tislelizumab in combination with anlotinib in patients with stage III and IV PSC .

Controlled Cold Exposure Combined With PD-1/PD-L1 Immunotherapy in Solid Tumors (NIVALIS)

This is a single-center, prospective, single-arm, open-label phase I exploratory study that plans to enroll 24 participants with solid malignancies. All participants will receive controlled cold exposure in addition to standard PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy or PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor-based standard combination therapy. A 2-day cold acclimation phase will precede formal intervention, consisting of approximately 20°C exposure for 8 hours on Day -2 and approximately 18°C exposure for 10 hours on Day -1. The first combination cycle begins on Day 1 concurrently with PD-1/PD-L1-based treatment, with exposure to an 18°C temperature-controlled hospital room for 12 hours per day for 7 consecutive days. If tolerated, cold exposure may be repeated in subsequent PD-1/PD-L1 treatment cycles. The primary objective is to evaluate safety, tolerability, and feasibility. Secondary objectives are to explore preliminary antitumor activity and the effects on brown adipose tissue activation, peripheral immune profiling, circulating cytokines, metabolomics, gut microbiota, patient-reported outcomes, and tumor immune/metabolic biomarkers when paired tumor tissue is available.

Urinary Tumor DNA-Guided Systemic Immunotherapy for Unresectable Very-High-Risk Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

This study evaluates whether urinary tumor DNA (utDNA) testing, together with clinical, pathologic, and radiographic assessment, can help guide treatment discontinuation and active surveillance in patients with unresectable very-high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (VHR NMIBC) treated with bladder-sparing systemic immunotherapy. Participants receive systemic immune checkpoint inhibitor-based therapy every 3 weeks for an initial 3 cycles. Initial response assessment is performed using transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and chest and abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT). Participants without progression to muscle-invasive, regional nodal, or distant metastatic disease then undergo post-TURBT urine cytology and urinary tumor DNA (utDNA) testing. Participants with both negative urine cytology and negative utDNA results receive an additional 3 cycles of systemic immunotherapy. After the additional treatment, participants undergo repeat evaluation using cystoscopy with biopsy, urine cytology, utDNA testing, and chest and abdominopelvic CT. Participants with negative findings on cystoscopic biopsy, urine cytology, and utDNA testing, and without radiographic evidence of nodal or distant metastatic disease, discontinue systemic immunotherapy and enter an active surveillance phase with regular follow-up monitoring. Participants who do not meet these criteria continue further clinical management and follow-up according to institutional practice. The study aims to determine whether a shortened duration of systemic immunotherapy guided by integrated molecular, clinical, pathologic, and radiographic response assessment can maintain favorable oncologic outcomes while reducing unnecessary treatment exposure in this high-risk population.

A Study of Lorigerlimab With Docetaxel or Docetaxel Alone in Participants With Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the amount of time before disease progression can be prolonged in participants with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (MCRPC) who receive lorigerlimab in addition to the standard of care (SOC) of docetaxel and prednisone. About 150 participants with mCRPC will be enrolled. Participants will be randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive lorigerlimab with docetaxel and prednisone (experimental arm) or docetaxel and prednisone alone (standard-of-care arm). Lorigerlimab+docetaxel or docetaxel will be administered intravenously (IV) in clinic on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle. Prednisone will be administered orally twice daily. Lorigerlimab will be administered for up to 35 cycles. Docetaxel and prednisone will be administered up to 10 cycles until treatment discontinuation criteria are met. Participants will undergo regular testing for signs of disease progression using computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests. Participants will be asked to complete questionnaires about their health and well-being. Routine examinations and blood tests will be performed and evaluated by the study doctor. Participants who have disease progression standard-of-care arm have the option of continuing on the study to receive lorigerlimab monotherapy.

Promoting INformed Approaches in Precision Oncology and ImmuNoTherapy

The purpose of the research is to: develop an educational website to empower Black and African American cancer patients to make informed decisions about personalized cancer treatment and clinical trials. The sample size for the qualitative interviews was (n=48) when saturation was achieved. With a goal of (n=33) for the pilot trial, the overall target sample size for the study is (n=81).

A Clinical Trial Comparing Long-Course Versus Short-Course Radiotherapy Followed by Immunotherapy Combined With Total Neoadjuvant Therapy (TNT) to Long-Course Radiotherapy Followed by TNT in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

This study is a national multicenter, prospective randomized, placebo- controlled Phase III clinical trial designed to investigate the potential therapeutic benefit of immunotherapy combined with total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) and to compare the efficacy of different radiotherapy modalities followed by immunotherapy.

BITS-TO-HCC Study: HAIC+Iparomlimab/Tuvonralimab + Bevacizumab + SBRT for BCLC-C HCC With PVTT and/or Oligometastases

This single-center, prospective, single-arm Phase II clinical trial is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (HAIC, for up to 4 cycles) with iparomlimab/tuvonralimab plus bevacizumab followed by stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who present with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) or extrahepatic oligometastatic disease. The study aims to determine whether this combination strategy can prolong progression-free survival (PFS), while also improving overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and local control rate (LCR), as well as maintaining quality of life (QoL). In addition, the trial will systematically evaluate the safety profile and treatment-related toxicities associated with this regimen.

Exploring Physical and Psychological Needs and Quality of Life in Patients With Advanced Cancer Receiving Immunotherapy

During the immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (ICIT), most of the patients stay at home, but there is lacking of the studies to explore their physical and psychological distress, financial toxicity, care needs, and quality of life. Therefore, the aims of this program are to (1) explore the immune-related adverse event (irAE) severity, distress, financial toxicity, and quality of life and examine the psychometric testing of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Immune Checkpoint Modulator (FACT-ICM); (2) establish the LINE group for assessing irAE severity and change trajectory of quality of life in one-year follow-up and (3) combined retrospective chart review and the finding in aim (2) to develop the risk prediction model in order to identify the high risk population.

Surgery After Verifying Existing Disease in Locally Advanced Operable Lung Cancer: A Pilot Study

The SAVED LUNG study is a pilot Phase I trial evaluating safety and feasibility of observation versus standard-of-care surgery in operable Stage II-III (excluding N3) NSCLC patients (PD-L1 ≥50%) who achieve complete clinical response following neoadjuvant platinum-doublet chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Participants are randomized to observation or surgery after rigorous restaging, with primary endpoints focusing on safety and feasibility. Secondary objectives include rates of cross-over to surgery, event-free survival, and overall survival, while exploratory endpoints examine ctDNA clearance and its association with clinical response.

IMMUNO-FIT Observational Study

This observational study will investigate how immunotherapy affects physical fitness, quality of life, and treatment tolerance in adults with solid cancers. Immunotherapy can cause a range of side effects that impact daily functioning and may lead to treatment delays or early discontinuation. Physical fitness may influence how well patients cope with treatment, yet little is known about how fitness changes during immunotherapy or whether baseline fitness is linked to outcomes. Participants will complete fitness testing using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and quality-of-life questionnaires before starting immunotherapy and again 12 weeks later. Blood samples will also be taken, and long-term outcomes including survival, disease progression, and quality of life will be followed for up to 24 months. All cancer treatment will remain standard of care. A small number of participants will be invited to take part in an optional research biopsy at week 12 to explore how physical fitness relates to changes in the tumour's immune environment. The study will help researchers understand natural changes in fitness during immunotherapy, identify whether baseline fitness is associated with treatment tolerance or outcomes, and generate information needed to design future trials testing exercise-based interventions during immunotherapy.

Fruquintinib Combined With Sintilimab ± Radiotherapy for Third-line Treatment of Colorectal Cancer With Liver Metastases

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Its early clinical manifestations are often subtle, leading to late-stage diagnosis in about 30% of cases with distant metastases. Liver metastases are widespread and associated with poor prognosis, especially in terms of response to immunotherapy. This prospective study will evaluate the efficacy of combined therapy involving sintilimab, fruquintinib, and radiotherapy in CRC with liver metastases. The primary objectives are to assess progression-free survival, overall survival, and treatment response rates. This study aims to provide valuable insights into optimizing third-line and subsequent therapies for CRC with liver metastases by elucidating the efficacy and safety of this combined treatment approach.