Clinical Research Directory

Pembrolizumab in Treating Younger Patients With Recurrent, Progressive, or Refractory High-Grade Gliomas, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Gliomas, Hypermutated Brain Tumors, Ependymoma or Medulloblastoma

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of pembrolizumab and to see how well it works in treating younger patients with high-grade gliomas (brain tumors that are generally expected to be fast growing and aggressive), diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (brain stem tumors), brain tumors with a high number of genetic mutations, ependymoma or medulloblastoma that have come back (recurrent), progressed, or have not responded to previous treatment (refractory). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may induce changes in the body's immune system, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread.

Erdafitinib in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Advanced Solid Tumors, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, or Histiocytic Disorders With FGFR Mutations (A Pediatric MATCH Treatment Trial)

This phase II Pediatric MATCH trial studies how well erdafitinib works in treating patients with solid tumors, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or histiocytic disorders with FGFR mutations that have spread to other places in the body and have come back or do not respond to treatment. Erdafitinib may stop the growth of cancer cells with FGFR mutations by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.

Ex Vivo Drug Sensitivity Testing and Multi-Omics Profiling

Functional precision medicine (FPM) is a relatively new approach to cancer therapy based on direct exposure of patient- isolated tumor cells to clinically approved drugs and integrates ex vivo drug sensitivity testing (DST) and genomic profiling to determine the optimal individualized therapy for cancer patients. In this study, we will enroll relapsed or refractory pediatric cancer patients with tissue available for DST and genomic profiling from the South Florida area, which is 69% Hispanic and 18% Black. Tumor cells collected from tissue taken during routine biopsy or surgery will be tested.