Oncology (Medical)

Below are current clinical trials.

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

1. Study of Tumor-treating Fields to Treat Leptomeningeal Metastases from Breast Carcinoma Involving the Spine

   Jacksonville, Fla.

   The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the spinal array in treatment of patients with leptomeningeal metastases within the spine

   The median survival of patients with LM with treatment is generally less than 5 months. There are four FDA-approved drugs for intra-CSF use in LM, but all have shown limited activity with no clear increase in survival outcome with treatment. Intra-CSF treatment is also invasive, involving either surgical placement of an intraventricular reservoir, or treatment (intrathecal) via repetitive lumbar punctures, and there is risk of adverse events including vomiting, headache, arachnoiditis and leukoencephalopathy with treatment. Systemic chemotherapy, targeted agents and immunotherapy have largely been ineffective in treatment of LM, in part due to limited CNS/CSF penetration. New effective treatments are needed.

   TTF represents a new modality that is well tolerated with minimal adverse events. TTF has not produced significant additive toxicity when combined with systemic treatments. In addition, no invasive procedures are required, and treatment has been administered for long term without apparent cumulative toxicities.  TTF is currently approved for treatment of glioblastoma and mesothelioma. TTF is currently under study for treatment of CNS parenchymal metastases, lung and pancreatic cancer. There is potential application for symptomatic treatment of LM and intradural, extradural and vertebral metastases. Given the lack of effective therapies for LM, TTF is a promising alternative modality that should be explored. In addition, the lack of overlapping toxicities would potentially allow the use of TTFields in conjunction with other ongoing treatments for the leptomeningeal or systemic cancer. For these reasons, we are proposing an exploratory, phase I feasibility study of TTFields in treatment of the spinal component of leptomeningeal metastases, If feasible, consideration will be given to expansion to a Phase 1/2 study in a selected cohort of patient with LM.  

2. Testicular Tissue Cryopreservation in Children

   Rochester, Minn.

   This protocol is being designed to offer testicular tissue cryopreservation to male pediatric patients (0-17 years of age) with fertility threatening medical diagnoses or facing surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy that may cause loss of reproductive potential.

3. A Study to Evaluate Thymoma Recurrence

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to evaluate thymoma recurrence rates in patients who underwent thymectomy.

4. A Safety to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Pressurized Intraperitoneal Aerosolized Chemotherapy in Ovarian, Uterine, Colorectal, and Gastric Cancer Patients

   Jacksonville, Fla.

   The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety of pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) in 2 groups of patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), either due to primary ovarian, uterine, or gastric carcinoma (Arm 1) or to primary colorectal carcinoma (Arm 2), based on treatment-related adverse events reported by National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0.  

5. 3D Ultrasound Imaging for Breast Cancer Diagnosis

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveess of a new 3D ultrasound imaging technology combining B-mode, microvessel imaging, shear wave elastography, and machine learning for breast lesion diagnosis.

6. Understanding Financial Toxicity in Management of Advanced Prostate Cancer from Qualitative Approach

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to identify characteristics of financial toxicity unique to advanced prostate cancer, especially those areas not assessed through current objective measures, and describe how can these areas inform potential interventions to ameliorate financial toxicity.

   This aim will be accomplished through qualitative focus group study of advanced prostate cancer patients who exhibit both extremes of financial toxicity. Findings will be presented in a joint display with quantitative survey data obtained in a prior study.

7. Dietary and Topical Magnesium Replacement or Supplementation in Patients with Lymphoma

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this research study is to find out if being on a magnesium rich diet and using a magnesium lotion on the skin will help to keep the magnesium blood level in a normal range or increase the magnesium level if it is slightly below the normal range or in the low end of the normal range. We also want to learn about the side effects and quality of life when patients are receiving different forms of magnesium.  

   Ancient Minerals Magnesium Lotion is an over-the-counter lotion that can be bought at a drug store or on the internet. The use of this lotion is considered investigational since it hasn’t been studied in lymphoma cancer patients with low magnesium levels before; however, the FDA is allowing us to use this lotion in this research study.

8. A Registry Study for the Long-Term Outcomes of Radiation Therapy

   Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz.

   The purpose of this long term registry study is to collect and analyze information from patients being treated with various forms of radiation therapy to improve the treatment of future patients.

9. Grief Among Older Adult Family Caregivers

   Jacksonville, Fla.

   The purpose of this study is to evaluate the trajectory of loss and grief over 12 months, the risk factors associated with high levels of pre-loss grief, and the preliminary effectiveness of ART for treatment of high levels of pre-loss grief among family caregivers (FCG) of persons nearing the end of life.

10. Melanoma In-transit Tissue Bank and Molecular Analysis for Personalized Therapies

    Rochester, Minn.

    The purpose of this study is to establish a tissue bank to collect patient tissue for genomic analysis, allowing identification of genomic signatures that predict response and failure to the individual therapy.  Once this is complete treatment will be directed based on the genomic signature of patients individual tumor.