Clinical Research Directory

Aromatherapy Essential Oils to Manage Anxiety and Nausea in Cancer Patients Receiving Infusion in the Ambulatory Setting

This clinical trial tests how well aromatherapy essential oils work to manage anxiety and nausea in cancer patients receiving infusions in the ambulatory setting. Current drugs that are given for nausea may cause constipation and fatigue. Therefore, there is interest in exploring complementary therapies, like aromatherapy, that do not carry the same side effects. Using aromatherapy essential oils such as ginger, peppermint, and lavender, may help reduce nausea and anxiety. Some studies have shown significant reductions in nausea and anxiety among cancer patients using these oils, while other studies have had mixed results. Ginger and peppermint oils, in particular, have been associated with helping reduce nausea during chemotherapy, while lavender has shown potential benefits for anxiety. Jojoba oil will be used as a placebo for this research study. Jojoba oil is extracted from the seeds of a jojoba plant, which is a green shrub that is found in the southwestern United States). Jojoba oil is an oil which has no color or smell. Aromatherapy essential oils used through a personal inhalation device during chemotherapy may better manage anxiety and nausea in cancer patients receiving infusions in the ambulatory setting.

Testing the Combination of Anti-Cancer Drugs Talazoparib and Temozolomide in Patients With Advanced Stage Rare Cancers, RARE 2 Trial

This phase II trial tests whether combination of talazoparib and temozolomide works to shrink tumors in patients with rare cancer that may have spread from where it first started to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body (advanced). Talazoparib is an inhibitor of poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase (PARP), an enzyme that helps repair deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) when it becomes damaged. Blocking PARP may help keep cancer cells from repairing their damaged DNA, causing them to die. PARP inhibitors are a type of targeted therapy. Temozolomide is in a class of medications called alkylating agents. It damages the cell's DNA and may kill cancer cells. Giving talazoparib in combination with temozolomide may help shrink advanced rare cancers or stop them from growing.

Cannabis Gummy for the Improvement of Sleep and Quality of Life in Patients With Cancer, Pillow Trial

This clinical trial tests how well a cannabis gummy works in improving sleep and quality of life in patients with cancer. Many people with cancer (about 60%) have trouble sleeping, which can lower their quality of life. Sleep disturbance is defined as difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, waking up earlier than desired and being unable to fall back to sleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness. In adults with cancer, sleep disturbance may be caused by multiple, often co-occurring factors including diagnosis, type, and stage of cancer, treatment regimen, physical complaints (e.g., pain), and psychological distress. Some patients use cannabis to help with sleep, but its effects are not well understood. Cannabis, which some people call marijuana, refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds of the cannabis sativa L plant. The plant contains at least 125 different cannabinoids, including delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Delta-9 THC is the most abundant form of THC in the cannabis plant. It has intoxicating effects, meaning it can temporarily alter a person's mood, thoughts, and perceptions (a "high"). This study will help researchers learn how cannabis affects sleep and quality of life compared to usual care.

Testing the Use of Neratinib or the Combination of Neratinib and Palbociclib Targeted Treatment for HER2+ Solid Tumors (A ComboMATCH Treatment Trial)

This phase II ComboMATCH treatment trial compares the effect of neratinib to the combination of neratinib and palbociclib in treating patients with HER2 positive solid tumors. Neratinib and palbociclib are in a class of medications called kinase inhibitors. They work by blocking the action of an abnormal protein that signals cancer cells to multiply. This helps slow or stop the spread of tumor cells. Giving neratinib and palbociclib in combination may shrink or stabilize cancers that over-express a specific biomarker called HER2.

Exercise Program (TEAM Me) for the Improvement of Movement and Mobility in Pediatric and Adolescent and Young Adult Patients With Cancer Undergoing a Blood Stem Cell Transplant

This clinical trial studies how well an exercise program (Totally Excited About Moving, Mobility, and Exercise \[TEAM Me\]) affects the exercise and dietary habits of pediatric and adolescents and young adults with cancer undergoing a blood stem cell transplant. TEAM Me is an exercise program that reinforces behavior, such as walking and other activities, using "tokens" (i.e. stickers) that can be redeemed for rewards. Participating in the exercise program may result in increased physical fitness, physical activity level, quality of life, and function in pediatric and adolescents and young adult patients with cancer.

Collection and Storage of Tissue and Blood Samples From Patients With Cancer

This study collects and stores tissue and blood samples from patients with cancer. Collecting and storing samples of tissue and blood from patients with cancer to study in the laboratory may help scientists create new and better models to learn about cancer and to test new cancer drugs.

Testing an Educational Program to Improve Goals of Care Conversations Between Patients and Their Care Teams

This clinical trial evaluates an educational program called Algorithm-Enabled Patients Activated in Cancer Care Through Teams (A-PACT) for reducing unplanned hospital visits and improving goals of care conversations with providers among patients with solid cancers. A-PACT is an educational program where lay health workers (educators) help patients talk with their health care team about issues that matter most to them (goals of care). During A-PACT sessions, patients receive assistance in formulating health care and end of life care preferences, assistance in completing advance directives, guidance on how to engage in these conversations with family members, friends, and clinical teams, and encouragement to discuss these topics with their clinical team. A-PACT may reduce unplanned hospital visits and improve goals of care communication with providers among patients with solid cancers.

18F-Fluoroazomycin Arabinoside PET-CT in Diagnosing Solid Tumors in Patients

This early phase I trial studies how well 18F-fluoroazomycin arabinoside positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) works in diagnosing solid tumors. Using 18F-fluoroazomycin arabinoside with PET-CT may help doctors plan better treatment for patients with solid tumors. 18F-fluoroazomycin arabinoside may help to show how much oxygen is present in a tumor during a PET-CT scan.

Parental Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Risks Associated With Opioid Use in Children With Cancer

This study investigates parents' attitudes and beliefs on the risks of opioid use in children with cancer. Pain is the common symptom reported by pediatric cancer patients. Opioids are the mainstay in the treatment of cancer-related pain. Despite an almost universal desire to prevent or mitigate pain in their children, parents exhibit complex behaviors from withholding prescribed opioids entirely to giving less than the prescribed analgesic dose of opioid to discontinuing despite ongoing pain. Information gathered from this study may help address a crucial knowledge gap in researchers' understanding of parental attitudes and beliefs regarding the risks associated with opioid use in children and adolescents.

NCI COVID-19 in Cancer Patients, NCCAPS Study

This study collects blood samples, medical information, and medical images from patients who are being treated for cancer and have a positive test for SARS CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes the disease called COVID-19. Collecting blood samples, medical information, and medical images may help researchers determine how COVID-19 affects the outcomes of patients undergoing cancer treatment and how having cancer affects COVID-19.

Financial Toxicity in Cancer Patients

This study will seek to generate the early data needed to understand the relationship between constructs and measures of patients' coping resources and psychological response and measures of patients' financial toxicity. To collect this early descriptive data, the overall goal of this study is to identify social, behavioral, and knowledge factors associated with financial toxicity outcomes. Identifying these factors will ultimately help elucidate targets for behavioral, psychosocial, and/or educational and coaching interventions.

Telemedicine for Improvement of Care for Older Adults With Cancer in the Underserved Community, The GAIN-S Trial

This clinical trial evaluates whether geriatric assessment-driven interventions with supportive care (GAIN-S) using telemedicine can be used to identify areas of vulnerability (weakness) in older adults with cancer and guide interventions to assist the patient and the healthcare team in the underserved community. The majority of patients diagnosed with cancer are over age 65 years, yet most cancer treatments are developed and tested in a younger population. Therefore, older patients with cancer are less likely to be offered standard treatments because of the concern regarding side effects. Geriatric assessment (GA) is a multi-dimensional health assessment tool combining patient reported and objective (unbiased) results. There is no standard tool that can identify which older adults will be more likely to have side effects from cancer treatment. Telemedicine is a way to provide healthcare services (including consultations, education, care management and treatment) in which the health care provider is at a distant site. The goal of this project is to use telemedicine to identify areas of vulnerability/weakness in older adults with cancer using a patient assessment, and to identify the potential referrals to a multi-specialty team based on patient assessment results. Information gathered from this study may help researchers learn whether GAIN-S can be performed using telemedicine and lead to improvement in care for older adults compared to standard of care (SOC) in the underserved community.

Understanding Needs of Older Patients Prior to Starting Cancer Treatment

A geriatric assessment (GA) is a structured approach to identifying and addressing the strengths and vulnerabilities of older adults with cancer. They can improve the quality of cancer care for older adults and lower side effects. It is recommended a GA be administered prior to the start of non-hormonal systemic therapy for all older adults. Despite these guidelines, only a small percentage of practices report administering them. The practical geriatric assessment (PGA) was developed to help oncology practices perform GAs. It aims to provide a brief way to evaluate older patients' physical health along with other important things like support network and impact to the patient's daily life. Typically, clinics do not receive extra training on delivering the PGA. Providing training and support for staff at cancer clinics may help deliver the enhanced PGA to older adult cancer patients who are starting a new-hormonal systemic therapy. This clinical trial looks at whether providing training and support for staff at cancer clinics can help them deliver patient check-ups (e.g., PGA) specifically designed for adults \>= 65 years old (older adults) starting a new non-hormonal systemic cancer therapy. The usual approach clinics use when starting these cancer therapy courses with an older adult may vary considerably.

Ensartinib in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Advanced Solid Tumors, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, or Histiocytic Disorders With ALK or ROS1 Genomic Alterations (A Pediatric MATCH Treatment Trial)

This phase II Pediatric MATCH treatment trial studies how well ensartinib works in treating patients with solid tumors, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or histiocytic disorders with ALK or ROS1 genomic alterations that have come back (recurrent) or does not respond to treatment (refractory) and may have spread from where it first started to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body (advanced). Ensartinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.

Wisconsin Ginseng for Decreasing Cancer Related Fatigue

This phase III trial compares the effect of Wisconsin ginseng (panax quinquefolius) to placebo in patients with cancer that suffer from significant fatigue. Fatigue is among the most challenging symptoms to manage in patients with cancer, both on or off active treatment. This symptom complex meaningfully contributes to psychosocial distress, healthcare costs, and it also interferes with the delivery of anticancer therapies. American ginseng (Western ginseng) appears to be a promising appearing agent for treating cancer related fatigue. Western ginseng may reduce cancer-related fatigue.

A Study of the Drug Letermovir as Prevention of Cytomegalovirus Infection After Stem Cell Transplant in Pediatric Patients

This phase III single arm trial determines whether taking prophylactic letermovir will reduce the likelihood of infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) in children and adolescents after stem cell transplant compared to estimated rate of infection without prophylaxis. The treatments used to prepare for hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) reduce the body's natural infection-fighting ability and increase the likelihood of an infection with a virus called cytomegalovirus. "Prophylaxis" means to take a drug to prevent a disease or side effect. Letermovir is an antiviral drug that stops cytomegalovirus from multiplying and may prevent cytomegalovirus infection and make the disease less severe.

Telementoring Intervention (ECHO) for the Transformation of Professional Engagement, Practice Efficiency, and Community Building Through Team Meetings in Diagnostic Imaging Clinicians

This trial studies how well the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) telementoring intervention works in transforming professional engagement, practice efficiency, and community building through team meetings in diagnostic imaging clinicians. This study may help researchers learn more about the potential benefits of a model for team meetings aimed at bringing physicians together from multiple practice locations when few opportunities exist for meaningful, collegial interactions. It may also help diagnostic imaging clinicians engage more effectively with colleagues at distant sites and become more engaged with their work.

The Vanguard Study: Testing a New Way to Screen for Cancer

The Vanguard Study is a feasibility study to explore several aspects of evaluating multi-cancer detection (MCD) tests in a future definitive randomized controlled trial. An MCD test measures markers in the blood in order to screen for multiple cancers simultaneously. There is a need to understand how MCDs may work as cancer screening tools. The goal of cancer screening is to reduce the burden of cancer by identifying cancers before they show symptoms or signs, when treatment is likely to be most effective. In this study, adults aged 45-75 without cancer will be randomly assigned to one of 3 groups: 2 separate MCD test groups or a control group. These two MCD tests will not be compared to each other but will be compared to cancers detected in the control group. This study will provide early information on how well MCD tests perform as cancer screening tools. It will also help researchers understand how patients and their doctors make decisions about their care when the MCD test result comes back as normal (negative) or abnormal (positive).

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for the Treatment of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Cancer Survivors

This clinical trial tests how well a type of non-invasive brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) works to treat chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in cancer survivors. CIPN is numbness, tingling, pain, and movement problems that can develop after chemotherapy as a result of changes to the nerves. A non-invasive form of brain stimulation called tDCS, applied to the area of the brain involved in sensation and movement, can temporarily improve the ability to detect vibration and temperature, as well as balance and walking, which may improve sensation and reduce pain in cancer survivors with CIPN.

RefleXion PET/CT Imaging Performance in Patients With Various Malignancies

This clinical trial examines RefleXion Medical Radiotherapy System (RMRS) imaging to the standard of care (SOC) fludeoxyglucose F-18 (\[18F\]-FDG)- positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) imaging in patients with various cancers (malignancies). PET is an established imaging technique that utilizes small amounts of radioactivity attached to very minimal amounts of tracer, in the case of this research, \[18F\]-FDG. Because some cancers take up \[18F\]-FDG, cancer cells can be seen with PET. CT utilizes x-rays that traverse body from the outside. CT images provide an exact outline of organs and potential inflammatory tissue where it occurs in patient's body. The RefleXion system is designed to facilitate delivery of biology-guided radiotherapy (BgRT). The RMRS uses PET emissions to guide radiotherapy delivery in real-time and has been studied for use with FDG (which is an agent used in standard PET-CT scans that targets glucose). Information gathered from this study may help researchers to improve PET-CT imaging on the RefleXion system. This information will be used in the future to improve planning and delivery of radiotherapy that will target (in real time) the signal released from the \[18F\]-FDG-PET-CT tracer. Comparing the imaging from the standard of care \[18F\]-FDG-PET-CT with the \[18F\]-FDG imaging from RMRS may help improve the quality of the imaging captured and determine if imaging can be done on the RMRS at the same time as planning for radiation therapy, which would reduce the number of scans needed to plan for radiation for cancer.

Testing an Immunotherapy Anti-cancer Drug, Nivolumab, for Advanced Cancers in Patients With Autoimmune Disorders, AIM-NIVO

This phase Ib trial studies the side effects of nivolumab and to see how well it works alone and in combination with other treatments, such as ipilimumab, cabozantinib, platinum containing therapy, and fluoropyrimidine, in treating patients with autoimmune disorders and cancer that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body (advanced), to other places in the body (metastatic) or cannot removed by surgery (unresectable). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab and ipilimumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Cabozantinib blocks certain proteins, which may help keep tumor cells from growing. It may also prevent the growth of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow. Cabozantinib is a type of tyrosine kinase inhibitor and a type of angiogenesis inhibitor. Chemotherapy drugs, such as platinum containing therapies and fluoropyrimidine, 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 alone and in combination with other treatments, including ipilimumab, cabozantinib, platinum containing therapy, or fluoropyrimidine, may be safe, tolerable, and/or effective in treating patients with autoimmune disorders and advanced, metastatic, or unresectable cancer.

Kinetic Analysis of Immune Cells in Blood and Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease-Affected Tissues After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

This study evaluates the factors that contribute to chronic graft-versus-host disease, which is a complication that can occur after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Study of Cord Blood Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Treatment of Moderate, Severe or Critical Pneumonia

This is a phase I trial followed by a phase II randomized trial. The purpose of phase I study is the feasibility of treating patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) related to COVID-19 infection (COVID-19) with cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). The purpose of the phase II trial is to compare the effect of MSC with standard of care in these patients. MSCs are a type of stem cells that can be taken from umbilical cord blood and grown into many different cell types that can be used to treat cancer and other diseases. The MSCs being used for infusion in this trial are collected from healthy, unrelated donors and are stored and grown in a laboratory. Giving MSC infusions may help control the symptoms of COVID-19 related ARDS.

Social Health, Activity Behaviors, and Quality of Life Among Young Adult Cancer Survivors

This longitudinal observational study examines how social health, including social support, social roles, loneliness, social anxiety, and social network characteristics, relates to physical activity, sedentary time, and quality of life among ethnically and racially diverse adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients aged 18-39 years. The study follows participants over four clinically significant timepoints in the first 12 months after diagnosis (baseline near diagnosis, mid treatment, near end of treatment, and 12 month follow up). At each timepoint, patients complete questionnaires and wear a wrist worn accelerometer for one week.