Clinical Research Directory

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.

Improving Adolescent and Young Adult Self-Reported Data in ECOG-ACRIN Trials

This clinical trial gathers information about adolescents and young adults (AYA) and patient reported outcomes data in Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG)-American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) trials to improve the collection of AYA patient reported outcomes. This study may help doctors understand the needs of adolescent and young adult cancer patients.

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.

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.

Cryocompression With or Without Cilostazol for the Prevention of Paclitaxel-induced Neuropathy in Patients With Gynecological Cancers

The phase II trial evaluates the effectiveness of cryocompression therapy alone or in combination with cilostazol in preventing paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (numbness, pain or tingling in the feet and hands) for patients with gynecologic cancers. Peripheral neuropathy is a common side effect of many chemotherapeutic agents, including paclitaxel. Paclitaxel is in a class of medications called antimicrotubule agents. It stops cancer cells from growing and dividing and may kill them. Cryocompression is a therapy that combines compression garments or dressings with cooling of the treated area. Cilostazol is in a class of medications called platelet-aggregation inhibitors (antiplatelet medications). It works by improving blood flow to the legs. Giving cilostazol together with cryocompression may be safe and tolerable in treating patients with gynecological cancers.

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.

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).

Project: Every Child for Younger Patients With Cancer

This study gathers health information for the Project: Every Child for younger patients with cancer. Gathering health information over time from younger patients with cancer may help doctors find better methods of treatment and on-going care.

CREATE: Art for Children With Cancer

This clinical trial is being done to develop and test how well creative arts interventions (drawing, painting, making sculptures) compared to watching videos can affect symptoms and impact the quality of life in children with cancer. Creative arts mind-body interventions (CrA) are one type of complementary health interventions which have been associated with improved quality of life and reduced symptom burden among children with cancer. CrA is an ideal intervention for children with cancer due to the long hours spent in the hospital setting for treatments, the creativity and developmental focus of children, and their potential ability to communicate more easily through art than words. Researchers want to develop and test a CrA intervention to help improve symptoms and the quality of life of children with cancer.

Triptorelin for the Prevention of Ovarian Damage in Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer

This phase III trial compares the effect of giving triptorelin vs no triptorelin in preventing ovarian damage in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer receiving chemotherapy with an alkylating agents. Alkylating agents are part of standard chemotherapy, but may cause damage to the ovaries. If the ovaries are not working well or completely shut down, then it will be difficult or impossible to get pregnant in the future. Triptorelin works by blocking certain hormones and causing the ovaries to slow down or pause normal activity. The triptorelin used in this study stays active in the body for 24 weeks or about 6 months after a dose is given. After triptorelin is cleared from the body, the ovaries resume normal activities. Adding triptorelin before the start of chemotherapy treatment may reduce the chances of damage to the ovaries.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and HRQOL in Cancer Patients and Survivors

This study uses questionnaires to gain an understanding of how experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of COVID-19 status, may have impacted health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and other areas such as COVID-19-specific psychological distress, disruptions to health care, finances and social interactions in cancer patients. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The information learned from this study will guide the development of psychosocial programs to improve patient care and outcomes in cancer patients and survivors in the context of facing a global pandemic.

Molecular Testing for the MD Anderson Cancer Center Personalized Cancer Therapy Program

This study performs standardized testing of tumor tissue samples to learn which genes are mutated (have changed) in order to provide personalized cancer therapy options to cancer patients at MD Anderson. This may help doctors use testing information on tumors to identify clinical trials that may be most relevant to patients. Researchers may also use the information learned from this study to develop a database of the different kinds of mutations in cancer-related genes.

Palbociclib and Binimetinib in RAS-Mutant Cancers, A ComboMATCH Treatment Trial

This phase II ComboMATCH treatment trial evaluates the effectiveness of palbociclib and binimetinib in treating patients with RAS-mutated cancers. Palbociclib and binimetinib are both in a class of medications called kinase inhibitors. They work by blocking the action of abnormal proteins that signals cancer cells to multiply. This trial may help researchers understand if giving the combination of palbociclib and binimetinib can help improve the amount of time before the cancer grows in patients with patients with low grade serous ovarian cancer who have certain changes in the tumor DNA. This trial may also help researchers understand if giving the combination of palbociclib and binimetinib can help improve outcomes among patients with low grade serous ovarian cancer who have previously received a MEK inhibitor. For patients with other tumors, with the exception of lung cancer, colon cancer, melanoma and low grade serous ovarian cancers, this trial may help researchers understand if giving the combination of palbociclib and binimetinib can improve the clinical outcome of survival without progression in patients who have certain changes in their tumor's DNA.

Validation of DNA Methylation Markers for Universal and Site-specific Guided Cancer Detection, VANGUARD Study

This study explores the potential value of a new blood test approach for early detection of cancer.

Wearable Activity Tracking to Curb Hospitalizations

This study is being done to collect patient generated health data to predict the risk of patients needing emergency department visits or hospitalization before, during. and after receiving radiation therapy.

Home Base Telemonitoring in Gastrointestinal, Genitourinary, or Gynecologic Cancer Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgery

This phase III trial compares a home-based telemonitoring program that collects symptom and daily step information to surgeon only care in improving recovery and stopping complications within 30 days after surgery in patients with gastrointestinal, genitourinary, or gynecologic cancer who are scheduled to undergo abdominal surgery. Patients may experience a decrease in functional capacity and experience symptoms like pain and fatigue after surgery, and this may change their ability to walk and function. Home-based telemonitoring of patient symptoms and their ability to walk and function after surgery may help doctors and nurses find and treat problems early, which may improve the patient's recovery and lower the number of complications after surgery.

Temozolomide and Survivin Long Peptide Vaccine (SurVaxM) for the Treatment of Patients With Progressing Metastatic Neuroendocrine Carcinomas

This phase IIa trial compares the safety and effect of temozolomide combined with survivin long peptide vaccine (SurVaxM) to temozolomide alone in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NET) that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body (metastatic) and is growing, spreading or getting worse (progressing). Temozolomide is in a class of medications called alkylating agents. It works by damaging the cell's deoxyribonucleic acid and may kill tumor cells and slow down or stop tumor growth. Survivin, a protein, is expressed in 50% of patients that have neuroendocrine tumors and, is associated with poor outcomes. SVN53-67/M57-KLH peptide vaccine (SurVaxM) is a vaccine that has been shown to produce an immune system response against cancer cells that express a survivin and may block the growth of new tumor cells. Giving temozolomide with SurVaxM may kill more tumor cells in patients with progressing metastatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Pre-Operative or Post-Operative Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Treating Patients With Operative Metastatic Brain Tumors

This phase III trial studies the side effects and how well stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) works before or after surgery in patients with tumors that has spread to the brain or that can be removed by surgery. Stereotactic radiosurgery is a specialized radiation therapy that delivers a single, high dose of radiation directly to the tumor and may cause less damage to normal tissue.

An Artificial Intelligence-Powered Supportive Care Chatbot to Address the Supportive Care Needs of Young Adult Cancer Survivors

This clinical trial studies whether an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered supportive care chatbot is helpful for addressing the supportive care needs of young adult cancer survivors. Young adult cancer survivors often experience ongoing and distressing symptoms following treatment, including extreme tiredness and lack of energy, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. Young adult cancer survivors report a variety of strategies to self-manage these symptoms; however, there remains a gap in targeted interventions focused on the needs in young adult survivors. The AI-powered supportive care chatbot is designed to provide evidence-based information on supportive care for young adult cancer survivors. Users interact with the chatbot by entering free-text questions or selecting from predefined topics to receive tailored educational responses related to supportive care across the cancer continuum, including treatment effects, symptom management, care transitions, and life after cancer. The AI-powered supportive care chatbot may be an effective way to help address the supportive care needs of young adult cancer survivors.

Cost Communication and Financial Navigation in Cancer Patients (COSTCOM)

This clinical trial evaluates the effect of Cost Communication and Financial Navigation (CostCOM) intervention on adherence to care and financial burden in cancer patients. Many cancer patients experience financial hardship due to high medical out of pocket costs (OOPC), changes in employment, income and insurance. Financial hardship can lead to a delay or a stop in cancer care, and is linked to poor quality of life. Financial navigation programs, such as CostCOM, provide financial counseling, education and connections to appropriate resources to reduce financial barriers to healthcare and minimize financial stress and burden. CostCOM may improve adherence to care and decrease financial burden in patients with cancer.

A Mobile Application, Oncpatient, to Assist Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy

This clinical trial determines how well the oncpatient mobile application work in assisting patients undergoing radiation treatment. Radiation therapy can be complex. The technology, daily treatments, and possible side effects can be confusing to prevent and manage. Traditional radiation patient education includes a large amount of information, including details of treatment logistics, side effect prevention, and management. However, this information is not always readily accessible or memorable through the long course of therapy, and critical details can be missed. Oncpatient is a mobile application intended to be a more convenient and accessible form of patient education and guidance that is readily available to help patients and their caretakers navigate through radiation treatment.

Data-Driven Strategies for Patient Engagement About Cancer Clinical Trials

This study assesses patient awareness and understanding of cancer clinical trials.

Donor Cytomegalovirus-Specific Cytotoxic T-Lymphocytes in Treating Patients With a Persistent Cytomegalovirus Infection

This phase II trial studies how well donor cytomegalovirus-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes work in treating patients with a cytomegalovirus infection that has come back or has not gotten better despite standard therapy. White blood cells from donors who have been exposed to cytomegalovirus may be effective in treating patients with a cytomegalovirus infection.

Biomarkers to Predict Cancer Therapy-related Cardiotoxicity

This study evaluates why some cancer patients but not others experience changes in heart function following treatment with chemotherapy.