Clinical Research Directory

Screening for Brain Metastases

The survival of patients with CNS metastases often remains limited to some months. CNS metastases are also associated with neurological decline and decrease of quality of life. An early identification of CNS metastases may potentially lead to more therapeutic options and prevent or delay the development of neurological symptoms and signs. Patients with cancer associated with a high risk of developing CNS metastasis will be enrolled in this trial. These patients are candidates for a screening brain MRI program in the routine management as recommended in current guidelines (Le Rhun et al. 2021) (Amaral et al. 2025, "ESMO Living Guideline: Cutaneous Melanoma, v1.0 February 2025"). The primary objective is to compare the time to CNS metastases diagnosis detected by MRI using different contrast agents (of gadopiclenol at a dose of 0.1 mmol/kg over current standard practice ) in patients with cancer considered at high risk of developing brain metastases.

Nivolumab and Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Refractory Small-Cell Lung Cancer or Advanced Neuroendocrine Cancer

This phase II trial studies how well nivolumab and temozolomide work in treating patients with small-cell lung cancer that has come back or does not respond to treatment, or neuroendocrine cancer that has spread to other places in the body. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide, 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. Giving nivolumab and temozolomide may work better in treating patients with small-cell lung cancer and neuroendocrine cancer.

Characteristics of Advanced LUNG CANCER at the tIme of Diagnosis in a Large Italian Cohor

The distribution of demographic, clinical, radiological, pathological and molecular characteristics of lung cancer at the time of diagnosis, as well as preferential association between elements of those domains, have not been specifically studied in Italy. The aim of the present project is to assess, in a systematic fashion, the demographic, clinical, radiological, pathological and molecular characteristics of advanced lung cancer at the time of diagnosis in a large Italian cohort of consecutive patients referred to two tertiary referral centers.