Oncology (Medical)

Below are current clinical trials.

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

1. A Study to Evaluate the da Vinci® Xi™ Surgical System in Nipple Sparing Mastectomy (NSM) Procedures

   Rochester, Minn., Jacksonville, Fla.

   The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the da Vinci Surgical Systems in Nipple Sparing Mastectomy procedures.

2. PTT-936, an Alpha Kinase 1 (ALPK1) Activator, Alone or in Combination with Anti-PD-1/L1 in Patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors

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

   The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of a pharmacologically active dose (PAD) range of PTT-936, which may include identification of the MTD, administered as a single agent in patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic solid tumors who have progressed after exhaustion of standard of care (SOC) or a SOC is not available.

3. Study of Treating Patients with Vestibular Schwannoma with Aspirin

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the administration of aspirin can delay or slow tumor growth and maintain or improve hearing in  patients with vestibular schwannoma (VS).

4. Impact of Surgical Removal or Reduction Procedures on Markers of Immune Function in Adult Patients with Renal and Bladder Tumors and Pediatric Patients with Genitourinary Tumors

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to find out more about certain markers of immune suppression in people with kidney tumors (whether the tumors are benign or cancer). Also want to find out if kidney tumor treatment leads to an improvement in these immune markers.

5. Iobenguane I-131 or Crizotinib and Standard Therapy in Treating Younger Patients With Newly-Diagnosed High-Risk Neuroblastoma or Ganglioneuroblastoma

   Rochester, Minn.

   Despite recent improvements in outcome for children with newly diagnosed high-risk neuroblastoma, cure rates  remain  unsatisfactory.Further, these gains have been the result of interventions during the Consolidation (tandem autologous stem cell transplant) and Post-Consolidation (dinutuximab immunotherapy) phases of treatment, while rates of disease control during Induction have not improved in recent COG trials. The current phase 3 trial seeks to improve the event-free survival (EFS) for children with high-risk neuroblastoma through early integration of promising novel targeted therapies: targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy with 131I-MIBG or the ALK inhibitor, crizotinib. After enrollment, patients will receive one cycle of Induction chemotherapy. Subsequent therapy will be based upon MIBG avidity and ALK status. Patients with MIBG-avid, ALK wild type (or ALK unknown) disease will be randomized to one of three arms: A) current COG recommended high-risk therapy including four more cycles of Induction chemotherapy and surgical resection of the primary tumor, Consolidation with tandem transplant and focal external beam radiation, and dinutuximab immunotherapy with isotretinoin; B) current COG recommended high-risk therapy with the addition of a block of 131I-MIBG after the third Induction cycle; or C) current COG recommended high-risk therapy with the addition of a block of 131I-MIBG after the third Induction cycle and substitution of busulfan / melphalan (BuMel) single autologous stem cell transplant in place of tandem transplant. Patients with MIBG non-avid, ALK wild type (or ALK unknown) disease will be non-randomly assigned to receive current COG recommended high-risk therapy without the addition of 131I-MIBG. Patients with ALK aberrant tumors (ALK tyrosine kinase mutation or ALK amplification) will be non-randomly assigned to receive crizotinib added to current COG recommended high-risk therapy. The primary endpoint is EFS and 774 eligible and evaluable patients are anticipated to enroll over approximately 5 years. Key secondary endpoints are toxicity, end-Induction response, and overall survival. Late effects of therapy including targeted therapies will be compared with late effects of current COG recommended treatments Embedded correlative studies seek to understand predictors of benefit and resistance to 131I-MIBG and crizotinib.

6. MelmarT Melanoma Margins Trial Investigating 1cm v 2cm Wide Excision Margins for Primary Cutaneous Melanoma (MelMarT)

   Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz.

   The purpose of this study is to determine differences in the rate of local recurrence and melanoma specific survival. A reduction in margins is expected to improve quality of life to back up evidence that less radical margins of excision may be just as safe.  

7. Assessing the Psychosocial and Financial Impact of CAR-T on Survivors and Caregivers

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

   Although survivorship recommendations have been developed in areas such as lymphoma and stem cell transplant, the long-term effects of CAR-T therapy are unknown. In addition, relatively little is known about the psychosocial impact of CAR-T on survivors and their caregivers. Due to the intensive nature of CAR-T treatment and its unique side effects, including neurotoxicity in the acute setting and infections and financial burden in the long-term setting, a longitudinal study that assesses these issues in a quantitative and qualitative fashion is required. Consideration of both patient and caregiver needs is important for the provision of appropriate and effective health services, particularly in intensive cancer treatments that require a caregiver, such as CAR-T.

   Our objective in this proposal is to define the long-term needs of CAR-T survivors using patient-reported health-related quality of life (QOL) measures, qualitative interviews, and adverse event data. The rationale for our proposed study is that it will provide the necessary knowledge on CAR-T survivor physical, mental, and social health to formulate a CAR-T specific survivorship program that can be implemented and studied in the future.

   We aim to recruit 100 subjects (50 survivors and 50 caregivers) to the study. Inclusion Criteria are the following:  age ≥ 18, blood cancer diagnosis (including B-ALL, multiple myeloma, and lymphoma), receiving a CAR-T product, able to complete a written questionnaire in English either independently or with assistance, and able to perform a verbal interview either in person or via phone teleconference. We will survey patients at baseline and then at pre-specified timepoints up to 2 years after CAR-T. Survey questionnaires that have been previously validated in cancer populations will be used to assess: overall quality of life, psychosocial impact, cognitive function, post-traumatic stress, spiritual well-being, and financial toxicity. Patient demographics, adverse events, and comorbidities will also be collected via survey and/or medical record review. A selected subset of participants (10 survivors and 10 caregivers) will be chosen to undergo semi-structured open ended interviewing to obtain a qualitative understanding of unmet needs, social support, and distress. Data will be analyzed and compared to historical lymphoma and transplant cohorts.

8. Benevolent Tumor Tissue Repository Fighting for the Legacy of our Young

   Rochester, Minn.

   The aim of this study is to create a patient and patient-advocate catalyzed tumor bank for the retrieval, processing, analysis, and maintenance of pre-treatment, post-treatment and (when available) post-mortem soft tissue sarcoma (STS) tissue and tissue data with an emphasis on STSs occurring in younger patients (YP-STS). This resource-platform will be named Project BTTRFLY (Benevolent Tumor Tissue Repository Fighting for the Legacy of our Young).  

9. A Study to Collect Clinical Data, Blood Samples, and Tissue Specimens from Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purposes of this study are (i) to obtain and study biospecimens from patients with breast cancer that has either spread out of the breast or recurred after initial treatment(s), such as surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation, and (ii) to collect information about patients, treatments, and the behavior of the underlying cancer. Research involving biospecimens that are linked to related medical information is one way to learn more about diseases. In this case, we seek to understand the mechanism of tumor spread and determine why people respond differently to specific cancer treatments. In general terms, scientists will study the cells, DNA, RNA, and proteins found in the tumor tissue and/or the blood to understand more about cancer and the body’s response to cancer and related treatments.

10. A Study of the Ability to Predict Lymphedema Development Following Axillary Surgery for Breast Cancer and Its Effects on Patient Survivorship

    Jacksonville, Fla.

    The purpose of this study is to better understand the anatomy of the lymphatic structure and the molecular process that leads to the over production of lymph fluid.  This proposal will begin intense lymphedema screening and identify baseline characteristics potentially predisposing someone to lymphedema, and identify molecular markers that might be altered to prevent lymphedema.