Oncology (Medical)

Below are current clinical trials.

Filter this list of studies by location, status and more.

1. Financial Difficulty in Patients With Blood Cancer

   Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz.

   The purpose of this study is to analyze the financial difficulties experienced by patients undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). It is composed of a patient survey (n=250), a physician survey (n=100), and a practice survey completed by each site enrolling patients onto this study. A subset of enrolled patients (n=35) will be invited to participate in an optional second telephone interview (Appendix D). This study will measure the prevalence of patient-reported financial difficulty, specific financial burdens and resources currently available to patients and from practices to assist with patient financial navigation.

2. Undiagnosed Tumor/Undifferentiated Mass Registry

   Rochester, Minn., Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz., Jacksonville, Fla.

   The purpose of this study is to create a research registry to prospectively collect research biospecimens and corresponding clinical data from subjects with an undiagnosed tumor or undifferentiated mass.

3. Database of All Patients with Peritoneal Surface Malignancies Treated at Mayo Clinic

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to:

   1. Establish a prospective database of all patients with peritoneal surface malignancies seen by Dr. Travis Grotz at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester.
   2. Design and implement quality improvement projects utilizing this database
   3. Design and implement outcomes research using this prospective database
   4. Design and implement quality of life studies using this prospective database

4. Memantine Hydrochloride and Whole-Brain Radiotherapy With or Without Hippocampal Avoidance in Reducing Neurocognitive Decline in Patients With Brain Metastases

   Mankato, Minn., La Crosse, Wis., Eau Claire, Wis., Rochester, Minn., Albert Lea, Minn.

   This randomized phase III trial compares memantine hydrochloride and whole-brain radiotherapy with or without hippocampal avoidance in reducing neurocognitive decline in patients with cancer that has spread from the primary site (place where it started) to the brain. Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) is the most common treatment for brain metastasis. Unfortunately, the majority of patients with brain metastases experience cognitive (such as learning and memory) deterioration after WBRT. Memantine hydrochloride may enhance cognitive function by binding to and inhibiting channels of receptors located in the central nervous system. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Using radiation techniques, such as intensity modulated radiotherapy to avoid the hippocampal region during WBRT, may reduce the radiation dose to the hippocampus and help limit the radiation-induced cognitive decline. It is not yet known whether giving memantine hydrochloride and WBRT with or without hippocampal avoidance works better in reducing neurocognitive decline in patients with brain metastases.

5. A Study of the Possible Use of a New Imaging Method with Glioma Tumors

   Rochester, Minn., Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz.

   The purpose of this study is to see if Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) a recently developed imaging technique can be used to characterize and help stage glioma tumors and evaluate response to therapy.

6. Tissue and Blood Registry for Individuals with Liver and Biliary Tumors

   Jacksonville, Fla.

   This study will collect and store samples of tissue and blood for current and future research studies on Liver and Biliary Tumors.

7. A Study of the Impact of the Terminology Used to Identify Papillary Thyroid Cancer on the Treatment Options Chosen by Patients

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to explore how using different terms (with or without the word cancer) to identify papillary thyroid cancer might affect the decisions patients would make about treatment.

8. A Study to Evaluate Maximizing Anti-PD-1 Therapy By Monitoring T Cell Responses In Melanoma, Lung and Other Cancer Types

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to monitor T cell responses from patients with advanced cancer who are being treated with an anti-PD (programmed death)-1 monoclonal antibody, and compare them with clinical outcomes.

9. Registry for the EVolution Of LUng Cancer Therapy Implementation and Outcomes Now

   Rochester, Minn.

   REVOLUTION will be a US multicenter observational registry in scope and governed by a steering committee of approximately 8 experts in NSCLC and outcomes research. The primary goal of the registry is characterizing patterns of use for NSCLC therapy. REVOLUTION will be a multicenter registry enrolling approximately 2,500 patients. Additional patients limited to those with EGFR mutations may be enrolled following the initial study period as needed to ensure adequate sample sizes needed to examine primary questions of interest in the EGFR mutant population. Patients will be enrolled over a three year period across approximately 25 geographically diverse academic as well as community based sites within the US. The five year follow-up period will ensure robust survival data for correlations with clinical, tumor, and treatment variables.

   The target of 2,500 patients is meant to ensure adequate numbers of NSCLC patients with particular characteristics of interest including patients with adenocarcinoma, and EGFR mutations and effectively evaluate these patients with respect to key outcomes of interest including overall survival, time to progression, stage at progression, secondary metastases including brain metastases (at diagnosis and progression), comorbidity burden, and performance status at index date.

   The study design allows a cross-sectional perspective with collection of detailed patient and clinical characteristics at enrollment followed by longitudinal assessment of clinician and patient-reported endpoints every three months. Centralized follow-up will be conducted by having sites upload patient data following each visit via the web-based data system, with patients who do not show up for site visits being contacted via telephone by the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) call center. Site recruitment and patient enrollment will be weighted based upon provider specialty and ability to enroll patients with NSCLC with the specified inclusion criteria.

10. Combination Therapy of Acalabrutinib, Venetoclax and Durvalumab to Treat Richter Transformation

    Rochester, Minn.

    The purpose of this study is to determine if the drug combination of acalabrutinib, durvalumab, and venetoclax will work to treat Richter’s transformation, and what doses of these drugs are safe for people to take. We also want to learn about the side effects of this combination. All study subjects will receive acalabrutinib, durvalumab, and venetoclax. Acalabrutinib is FDA approved for treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma. Durvalumab is FDA approved for treatment in lung cancers including  non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Venetoclax is FDA approved for the treatment of CLL and SLL. The drug combination of acalabrutinib, durvalumab, and venetoclax is experimental and isn’t approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, the FDA has allowed the use of this drug in this research study.