Clinical Research Directory

Fast TILs to Treat Metastatic Pleural Effusions From Epithelial or Mesothelial Primary Tumors

This research study aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a novel immunotherapy, Fast TIL, an Adoptive Cellular Therapeutic (ACT), to fight cancer that has spread to the pleura or pleural mesothelioma. The ACT product is created at AHN West Penn using the participant's pleural infiltrating T-cells (PIT). It is administered through a pleural catheter along with the drug Interleukin-2 (IL-2). Based on previous research it is believed that it may help fight the tumor and relieve symptoms. As a participant, their pleural fluid will be collected and the PIT cells will be isolated and expanded in the lab to create the ACT product. Before receiving the ACT product through their pleural catheter, they will undergo outpatient lymphodepleting chemotherapy. LDC is a standard procedure for many approved immunotherapy treatments Following the infusion, they'll receive IL-2 through the catheter for two days to stimulate the expanded PIT cells. The active treatment phase lasts about three weeks, with follow-up visits over five years at AHN West Penn Hospital, potentially requiring a hospital stay of up to six days. Blood samples will be taken to monitor their response. As this is a first-in-human study, treatment carries an unknown risk up to and including death from toxicity. However, the risks of similar immunotherapy treatments are well documented.

Fast TILs to Treat Metastatic Cancer Patients With Pleural Disease

This research study aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a novel immunotherapy, Fast TIL, an Adoptive Cellular Therapeutic (ACT), to fight cancer that has spread to the pleura or pleural mesothelioma. The ACT product is created at AHN West Penn using the participant's pleural infiltrating T-cells (PIT). It is administered through a pleural catheter along with the drug Interleukin-2 (IL-2). Based on previous research it is believed that it may help fight the tumor and relieve symptoms. As a participant, their pleural fluid will be collected and the PIT cells will be isolated and expanded in the lab to create the ACT product. Before receiving the ACT product through their pleural catheter, they will undergo outpatient lymphodepleting chemotherapy. LDC is a standard procedure for many approved immunotherapy treatments Following the infusion, they'll receive IL-2 through the catheter for two days to stimulate the expanded PIT cells. The active treatment phase lasts about three weeks, with follow-up visits over five years at AHN West Penn Hospital, potentially requiring a hospital stay of up to six days. Blood samples will be taken to monitor their response. As this is a first-in-human study, treatment carries an unknown risk up to and including death from toxicity. However, the risks of similar immunotherapy treatments are well documented.

Comparison of Talc Slurry Versus Talc Insufflation: A Study on Effectiveness, Safety, and Hospital Outcomes in Pleurodesis

Pleural effusion is characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the pleural space, which typically contains about 10-20 mL of pleural fluid that is crucial for the movement of the lungs against the chest wall. This fluid closely resembles plasma but has a lower protein concentration, usually less than 1.5 gm/dL. It primarily originates from pleural capillaries and the interstitial spaces of the lung, and is reabsorbed through the lymphatic vessels in the parietal pleura, either via small openings known as stomas or through a process called transcytosis (1, 2). When the balance between fluid production and reabsorption is disrupted-often due to various pathogenic mechanisms-it can lead to pleural effusion. In such cases, effective management is essential. This study aims to conduct a thorough comparison of the two talc administration methods-TS and TI-using sterilized, large-particle, asbestos-free talc powder. By examining key outcome measures such as pleurodesis success rates, procedural morbidity, and length of hospital stay, the goal is to provide clinicians with evidence-based guidance to facilitate informed decision-making in the management of pleural effusions.

Pleurodesis in Small-bore Chest Tube

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) imposes a high burden on the healthcare system in the Asian Pacific region, as lung and breast cancer are the commonest cancers associated with malignant pleural effusion, as the two commonest cancers in the Asian Pacific region. While indwelling pleural catheter (IPC), a catheter that is inserted for long-term drainage of pleural fluid, is not commonly used in Asian countries, small-bore chest tubes are increasingly used due to their ease of insertion and causing less pain. Injecting talc, a chemocal, to promote adhesion of pleura, called talc pleurodesis was an effective method of managing MPE. However, the optimal size of small-bore chest tubes and the feasibility of talc pleurodesis have not been thoroughly investigated. This randomised controlled trial aims to evaluate the feasibility and success rate of pleurodesis using small-bore chest drains and to examine the outcomes associated with different sizes of these drains, namely 8 Fr, 12 Fr, and 14 Fr, in managing MPE. The primary outcome is the feasibility of talc pleurodesis with different small-bore chest tubes. Secondary outcomes include the differences in recurrence rates post-pleurodesis between small-bore and ultra-small-bore chest tubes, as well as patient outcomes such as pain scores, SpO2/FiO2 ratios (oxygen saturation/fractional inspired oxygen ratio), and complications. The sample size will be 60, and the project will be carried out over one year. The outcome of this study can serve as a reference for managing MPE regarding the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of ultra-small-bore chest tubes worldwide, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, where IPC is less common.

Mass Response of Tumor Cells as a Biomarker for Rapid Therapy Guidance (TraveraRTGx)

The primary objective of this study, sponsored by Travera Inc. in Massachusetts, is to validate whether the mass response biomarker has potential to predict response of patients to specific therapies or therapeutic combinations using isolated tumor cells from various specimen formats including malignant fluids such as pleural effusions and ascites, core needle biopsies, fine needle aspirates, or resections.

First Local Anaesthesia Thoracoscopy for Pleural Effusion Diagnosis.

Non randomized study with two groups. The study group includes patients with suspected malignant pleural effusion, in whom the investigation of pleural effusion begins directly with pleural biopsy by Local Anesthesia Thoracoscopy (LAT). The Control Group includes patients who come to the same hospital and are treated with the Standard of Care (SOC) strategies were used. Efficacy of LAT, Sensitivity, Hospitalization, time to diagnosis and general safety and comfort of the groups' subjects will be assessed.

Pleural Carcinomatosis Tissue Banking

Malignant pleural effusion is a common evolution of various cancers and is associated with poor prognosis and quality of life. About 28% of patients with primary malignancy will develop pleural metastasis. Malignant pleural effusion mostly occurs in lung, breast, ovarian and gastric cancers. Median survival ranges from 3 to 13 months according to primary malignancy. Currently, the therapeutic approach is mainly palliative with videothoracoscopic talc pleurodesis or indwelling pleural catheters insertion eventually associated with systemic chemotherapy if patient's general condition allows. In a early-disseminated tumor cells profile, metastatic cells can accumulate alterations at a distant site and have a different profil from the original tumor cells. Metastatic cells can also accumulate alterations in the course if systemic treatments. Consequently, they may respond differently to drugs. Recently, EGFR mutations and ALK status discordance between primary tumors and pleural metastases have been demonstrated in a significant portion of lung adenocarcinomas. These studies, realized on malignant pleural effusion isolated cells, enabled us to hypothesize a possible intratumoral heterogeneity within pleural metastases, but no study has been carried out on pleural tissue. Our aim is to create a biocollection with tissues from pleural carcinomatosis in order to subsequently allow multiomics and bioinformatics analyzes and to characterize a possible intratumoral heterogeneity in pleural metastasis.

Dual-targeting HER2 and PD-L1 CAR-T for Solid Tumors

CAR-T therapy has achieved unprecedented success in hematological tumors in recent years, but the progress of CAR-T cells in the treatment of solid tumors is facing difficulties. HER-2 is frequently expressed in breast cancer, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer and other malignant tumors. In this study, the PD-L1 inhibitory signal was transformed into an activation signal in the tumor microenvironment, and enhanced the killing activity and survival ability of CAR-T cells. The HER-2/PD-L1 dual-targeting CAR-T will be investigated in patients with HER2-positive solid tumors, and all enrolled subjects will receive HER2/PD-L1 CAR T cells via intravenous or thoracic/peritoneal cavity infusion.

Clinical Study on Intraluminal Injection of FOLactis

This clinical study is a single arm, prospective, single center clinical study on the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of a novel FOLactis in situ vaccine in the treatment of advanced solid tumors with malignant pleural and peritoneal effusion. The safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of intraluminal injection of FOLactis combined with systemic anti-tumor therapy will be evaluated.

IFN-γ Combined With T Cells in the Treatment of Refractory Malignant Pleural Effusion and Ascites

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of IFN- Y combined with T cells in the treatment of refractory malignant pleural effusion and acties, using a multicenter, single-arm, open design.

Cancer Ratio,Pleural Fluid Adenosine Deaminase,Lactate Dehydrogenase, interferonY, Tumor Necrosis Factor,and Interleukins{2,12,18}for Differentiation Between Malignant and Non Malignant Pleural Effusion

To evaluate the ability of cancer ratio and pleural fluid markers to discriminate between malignant and non malignant effusion