Clinical Research Directory

Securing Access to Innovative Molecules in Oncology and Hematology for Children, Adolescents and Young Adults

It involves collecting safety and efficacy data, under the actual conditions of use of off label and compassionate use medicines in children and adolescents approved in humans before 2007, using a validated tool (Ennov EDC) and relying on the network recognised pediatric hemato-oncology centers in Belgium and responsible for the organization of Pediatric National tumor boards which discuss each case of relapse in order to define the best therapeutic options.

Selpercatinib Pre-RAI in Patients With RET Fusion Thyroid Cancer (RAISE)

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common form of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). The traditional first line treatment for patients with advanced DTC after surgical resection is radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. However, less than a quarter of patients with lung metastases will achieve a complete response to RAI therapy, and this therapy carries the risk of pulmonary fibrosis and an increasingly recognized risk of secondary malignancies.

Immune Function and Response to Vaccination After Cancer Therapy in Pediatric Patients

Pediatric cancer survivors have increased infection-related morbidity and mortality. This study will evaluate immune dysfunction following cancer directed systemic therapy completion, with attention to clinical relevance and infection rate in this population compared to healthy siblings, when applicable. The investigators will also restart vaccinations at earlier time points than previously studied, at 3 months post therapy, and will assess whether boosters or revaccination schedules are superior for regaining immunity against potentially serious infections in survivors.

Pharmacogenomic Testing in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Patients

Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing involves analyzing variants of genes associated with drug metabolism, transport and medication targets. PGx testing uses an individual's genetic factors, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), to personalize therapy or dose a selection of medications. PGx testing has traditionally been used to test single genes, but there are now platforms allowing a panel of genes to be tested at once. To date there has not been a comprehensive screening of pediatric oncology patients to determine the prevalence of genetic variants that may affect anticancer therapy and supportive care medications. This study would allow us to summarize the frequency of clinically relevant gene-drug interactions and actionable genetic polymorphisms in pediatric oncology patients.

LCI-PED-NOS-EXER-001: Exercise in Pediatric Oncology Patients

The purpose of this study is to see if there are physical and emotional benefits to participating in a structured exercise regimen for those who are ages 2-25, are newly diagnosed with a blood or solid tumor cancer, and are currently undergoing or will begin cancer treatment.

Testing eSCCIP: An eHealth Psychosocial Intervention for English and Spanish Speaking Parents of Children With Cancer

It is critical to provide accessible evidence-based psychosocial support to parents and caregivers of children with cancer (PCCC) in order to mitigate individual and family-level psychosocial risks. This effectiveness trial evaluates an eHealth intervention for English- and Spanish-speaking (PCCC) with study endpoints focused on decreasing negative psychosocial sequelae (acute distress, posttraumatic stress, and anxiety) and improving coping abilities (coping self-efficacy, cognitive coping strategies). The long-term goal of this research program is to sustain and disseminate an effective, scalable, high-reach, and cost-effective intervention to provide crucial support to PCCC across the pediatric cancer trajectory.

Food is Medicine in Survivorship: Examining the Feasibility and Impact of a Scalable Food Delivery and Culinary Medicine Program (FoodiiS) Among Pediatric Cancer Survivors and Their Families

The goal of this research study is to learn if the FoodiiS-Kids intervention is useful to parents and guardians of pediatric cancer survivors.

Psychological Benefits of a Normalized Camping Experience for Children With Cancer

Background: * Cancer has an enormous impact on the psychological and social well-being of the family unit. The life-threatening connotations of cancer single out the ill child from his peer/family group as one who is different, and often unable to maintain a normal lifestyle. Physical sequelae of cancer and its treatment accentuate the differences between these children and their normal peers/siblings. * It is important that children with cancer be prepared to function outside of protected situations and begin to develop skills of separation and independence. For healthy children, some of these latter skills are acquired by a camping experience. Such an experience for the patient with cancer is frequently precluded by their dependence on medical facilities and the physical limitations of their activities. * The goal of this study will be to assess the short and long term benefits of the "normalized" camping experience, provided in conjunction with Special Love, Inc., on the patients and staff. In particular, we will seek to determine whether such a comprehensive experience is capable of influencing the attitudes and life experiences of patients and staff in a positive manner. Objectives: -To evaluate the impact of an enriched normalized camping experience on the quality of life of the pediatric cancer patient. In particular, attempts will be made to measure the manner in which this experience influences the child's sense of well-being and self-esteem as well as his or her relationship with parents, family, and peers. Eligibility: * Children 7-17 years of age who are currently being treated for cancer or are up to 3 years post therapy OR Young adults with cancer (YACers) 18-25 years of age who are acting as counselors at Camp Fantastic * All children/young adults will be selected for camp after careful screening by a multidisciplinary committee consisting of medical and program directors. * At the discretion of the multidisciplinary committee consisting of medical and program directors, special exceptions may be made for children with extenuating circumstances. Design: * Assessment of benefit may include interviews with children and families before, during and following camp. Observational data on the child's performance at camp will be noted. * Medical and nursing personnel will consist of staff from the Pediatric Branch at the NCI, other units within the NIH, and participating institutions. * Special Love members, the Program Director at the 4-H Center camp (site of the camp) and Pediatric Branch staff at the NCI will coordinate the camp program, taking into account the medical needs of each camper. * Every attempt will be made to provide a full agenda of age appropriate activities for the patients. * The length of the camping experience for children with cancer will be for 7 days beginning on a Sunday and extending through the following Saturday morning. Patients will be transported to the camp from the NIH Clinical Center and the Virginia hospitals by bus.

European Proof-of-Concept Therapeutic Stratification Trial of Molecular Anomalies in Relapsed or Refractory Tumors

This proof-of-concept platform trial is designed to cover the targeting of several survival pathways in oncogenesis that are currently not adequately employed for pediatric patients in Europe (Geoerger 2017; Geoerger 2019). The aims of the trial are: 1. To determine the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of a specific anticancer agent and/or a relevant combination in a pediatric population, to document its tolerability and 2. To explore first signals of activity in a molecularly enriched study population.

Feasibility and Safety of Acupuncture With Semi-Permanent Needles for the Prevention of Irinotecan-Associated Diarrhea in Pediatric Solid Tumors

To evaluate the feasibility of an acupuncture protocol in the prevention of late diarrhea due to irinotecan in pediatric patients with solid tumors, a pre-post pilot study will be conducted. Pre-post pilot study non-randomized, open label, single arm study. There will be a single study group that will be used at the same time as your own control. The intervention will take place for approximately one year.

Durvalumab and Tremelimumab for Pediatric Malignancies

The purpose of the study is to determine the recommended dose of durvalumab and tremelimumab (immunotherapy drugs) in pediatric patients with advanced solid and hematological cancers and expand in a second phase to test the efficacy of these drugs once this dose is determined.

Understanding the Late Effects of Surviving a Pediatric Brain Tumor

The goal of this study is to learn about the cognitive and behavioral functioning of children being treated for cancer.

Illuminate: A Clinical Study Evaluating CAR T Immune Cell Therapy (BCB-276) for Patients With Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).

This study will evaluate BCB-276, an investigational B7-H3-targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, in children and young adults with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). DIPG is a rare and aggressive brain tumor with limited treatment options. CAR T cell therapy uses a patient's own immune cells that are changed in a laboratory to recognize and attack cancer cells. The purpose of this study is to determine whether BCB-276, when given after completion of standard radiation therapy, is safe and can improve survival for patients with DIPG. To participate, individuals must be between 1 and 26 years of age when they join the study, have a diagnosis of DIPG, and enroll for treatment within 6 weeks of completing initial radiation therapy. Participants must not have received prior anti-cancer therapy beyond radiation with or without temozolomide prior to joining this study. BCB-276 is administered intraventricularly (into the fluid around the brain), which requires placement of a catheter for treatment. BCB-276 is given every 2 weeks at a research center over a period of several months (approximately 7-8 months). Participation includes travel to a study site, procedures to support treatment administration, sample collection, and ongoing monitoring for safety and effectiveness, with follow-up visits lasting up to about 2 years.

Music Therapy for Oral Mucositis Pain in Pediatric Patients

This mixed-methods pilot study will examine the effect of music therapy on oral mucositis pain in pediatric oncology patients. Oral mucositis, characterized by painful ulcerative lesions in the mouth, is a common side effect of high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell or bone marrow transplantation. Despite its high prevalence and impact on quality of life, effective pain management strategies for pediatric oral mucositis remain limited and often rely heavily on medications that may cause significant side effects or provide insufficient relief. Music therapy may offer a promising non-pharmacologic adjunct for reducing pain, yet no studies to date have specifically evaluated its use for oral mucositis pain in pediatric patients.

A Phase I, First in Human Study of CBA-1205, Anti-DLK1 Monoclonal Antibody in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors, Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), Melanoma, and Pediatric Cancer

In this first-in-human, muticenter, non-randomized, open-label, standard 3+3 dose escalation Phase I study encompasses 5 parts (Part 1-5). The purpose of this FIH study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability profile of CBA-1205.

Estimating Setup Uncertainty in Pediatric Proton Therapy Using Volumetric Images

This research study establishes a repository for imaging data generated during image-guided proton therapy for various pediatric cancers. The data facilitate the estimation of patient positioning uncertainty, the comparison of image guidance methods, and the identification of factors contributing to large setup deviations to improve the accuracy of radiation therapy in the future. Primary Objective To establish a repository of imaging data acquired during the radiation therapy course with linked radiation treatment plans and clinical information from pediatric patients of all cancer types receiving image-guided proton therapy to facilitate secondary and exploratory objectives. Secondary Objectives * To estimate distributions of patient setup uncertainty measured with daily pre- treatment volumetric cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. * To compare patient setup corrections derived based on 2D (orthogonal radiographs) and 3D (volumetric CBCT scans) image guidance. * To assess residual setup errors after CBCT-guided correction based on post- correction repeat CBCT. * To estimate distributions and time trends of patient motion during a radiation therapy course based on weekly pre- and post-treatment CBCT scans. * To identify clinical and treatment factors that contribute to significantly large setup uncertainty and intra-fractional movement in pediatric patients. Exploratory Objectives * To determine variation in patient anatomy using images acquired during the treatment course. * To evaluate the usefulness of on-treatment CBCT scans for detecting daily changes in proton ranges, evaluating deviations from planned tumor dosimetry, and triggering adaptive replanning.

Response to Influenza Vaccination in Pediatric Oncology Patients

Influenza infection occurring during oncologic treatment or following hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is associated with increased risk of morbidity in the form of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and mortality relative to otherwise healthy patients. The study participants have been diagnosed with a hematological malignancy and are eligible to receive the current seasonal influenza (Flu) vaccine. Primary Objective * To determine the feasibility of opening a longitudinal prospective study of IIV immunogenicity in pediatric leukemia patients. * To describe the immunogenicity, as measured by the development of cell- and/or antibody-mediated influenza specific responses 3 to 5 weeks following vaccination, in a cohort of pediatric leukemia patients. Secondary Objectives * To describe whether an immune response, as measured by development of cell- and/or antibody-mediated influenza specific responses, is detectable 1-2 weeks following vaccination in a cohort of pediatric leukemia patients. * To describe the durability of immunogenicity by measuring cell - and antibody- mediated influenza specific responses at 6 months and 1 year following vaccination in a cohort of pediatric leukemia patients. Exploratory Objectives * To estimate the clinical effectiveness of influenza vaccine in this cohort by monitoring for the development of clinical diagnosis of influenza in the cohort of enrolled pediatric oncology patients. * To correlate results of immune cell frequency in blood, as measured by complete blood count with differential, with development of an immune response to IIV.

Preventative Skin Care for Children Undergoing Targeted CNS Tumor Therapy

This research study is examining a preventive skin care regimen for children diagnosed with a brain tumor and receiving anti-cancer therapy with a MEK, Pan-RAF, or BRAF inhibitor.

Feasibility Usability & Acceptability Study: Symptom Reporting by Children Adolescents & Young Adults w/Cancer

The purpose of this project is to pilot test an electronically delivered symptom assessment tool Pediatric Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (Ped-PRO-CTCAE), completed by children/adolescents and young adults (AYAs) and caregivers and shared with their clinicians during an outpatient clinic visit, in preparation for a future test of intervention efficacy.

Granulocyte Transfusions After Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant

Although most children with leukaemia are cured using drugs (chemotherapy) alone, for some children additional treatments are needed. Stem cell transplant can cure children where chemotherapy and other drugs have failed. In this case, the immune cells of the donor attack the leukaemia cells of the patient. Cord blood collected from the placenta of unrelated babies is often used as a donor cell source and appears to work well at controlling leukaemia and less likely to cause complications such as when the immune cells also mistakenly attack healthy tissues (called graft versus host disease, GVHD). The investigators have noticed that during cord blood transplant, the donor immune system appears to recover more quickly and not be associated with GVHD, when a type of blood transfusion containing white cells are also given to the patient. The infused white cells appear to stimulate the donor immune cells to expand much more than usually seen. During this research, the investigators will study this immune cell expansion during cord blood transplant in children with difficult-to-cure leukaemia who also receive a transfusion of white cells, termed granulocytes. The investigators will assess the safety of the effects of the white cell transfusions and the immune cell expansion on the child, and look at the outcomes on the patient's leukaemia, and whether there is GVHD or not.

LIFE Cancer Survivorship Database for Pediatric Cancer

The purpose of this study is to develop a mechanism for utilizing the comprehensive clinical database of childhood cancer survivors at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) for research purposes. Using clinical information obtained from follow-up visits of childhood cancer survivors, the database will focus on interventions to improve health status and health-related quality of life in childhood cancer survivors. This study allows for establishment and analyses of a research database for LIFE survivors by the investigators listed herein. Over the last three decades, there has been marked improvement in survival following childhood cancer, with 5-year survival rates now approaching 80%. However, the use of cancer therapy at an early age can result in complications that may not be apparent until years later as the child matures. These resulting complications, called late effects, are principally related to the specific therapy employed and the age of the child at the time the therapy was administered. Late effects may affect virtually every body system and substantially impair quality of life. As many as two-thirds of childhood cancer survivors develop at least one late effect as a result of treatment, and approximately one-third have a late effect classified as severe or life threatening.

Post Mortem Tissue Donation of Pediatric Tumor Tissues and Cells

The objective of this study is to utilize all donated pediatric tumor tissues and cells obtained from autopsy to prospectively develop novel patient derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse models as well as in vitro cell culture model systems for pediatric cancers, and also provide tissue samples to other researchers and organizations (eg, CBTN, DIPG Registry, COG).

Multisite Implementation of COMPRENDO

COMPRENDO (ChildhOod Malignancy Peer Research NavigatiOn) is a multi-site randomized clinical trial (RCT) that uses a Hybrid Type 1 design, to test the effects of a clinical intervention on patient-level outcomes, while exploring multilevel implementation factors that can inform real-world setting implementation. This study will test the impact of COMPRENDO, a peer-navigation intervention, vs. usual care on accrual to childhood cancer therapeutic clinical trials and parental informed consent outcomes. COMPRENDO will be delivered by trained peer navigators in 4 visits. A mixed methods (surveys, individual interviews) implementation evaluation will examine implementation factors that can inform the use of peer navigation in clinical practice, integrating data from clinicians, navigators, administrators, and parents pre and post the RCT.

Virtual Reality for Children in Radiotherapy (REVER)

For a young patient, the conditions of proton therapy treatment can be stressful. Adjusting the environment can be a source of avoiding this physical and psychological discomfort impacting the quality of treatment. A fixed, long, uncomfortable position is the main cause of stress, already present due to the cancerous therapeutic course. It extends the positioning time. For the patient and the optimization of his treatment, solutions must be sought. Relaxation in virtual reality is efficient, simple and non-medicinal and could reduce stress in children and allow irradiation in very good conditions. We will assess the effectiveness of the virtual reality session using objective (placement time, helmet tolerance) and subjective (perceived anxiety via a dedicated questionnaire) criteria. This is the first pediatric virtual reality study, supported by the French Group of Pediatric Radiotherapists, to reduce anxiety in radiotherapy. Multiple benefits from this pilot study are expected, such as improved reception conditions, treatment parameters and better acceptance of proton therapy sessions.