Alliance A021806
This phase III trial compares perioperative chemotherapy (given before and after surgery) versus adjuvant chemotherapy (given after surgery) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer that can be removed by surgery (removable/resectable). Chemotherapy drugs, such as fluorouracil, irinotecan, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving chemotherapy before and after surgery (perioperatively) may work better in treating patients with pancreatic cancer compared to giving chemotherapy after surgery (adjuvantly).
Alliance A022101
This phase III trial compares total ablative therapy and usual systemic therapy to usual systemic therapy alone in treating patients with colorectal cancer that has spread to up to 4 body sites (limited metastatic). The usual approach for patients who are not participating in a study is treatment with intravenous (IV) (through a vein) and/or oral medications (systemic therapy) to help stop the cancer sites from getting larger and the spread of the cancer to additional body sites. Ablative means that the intention of the local treatment is to eliminate the cancer at that metastatic site. The ablative local therapy will consist of very focused, intensive radiotherapy called stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) with or without surgical resection and/or microwave ablation, which is a procedure where a needle is temporarily inserted in the tumor and heat is used to destroy the cancer cells. SABR, surgical resection, and microwave ablation have been tested for safety, but it is not scientifically proven that the addition of these treatments are beneficial for your stage of cancer. The addition of ablative local therapy to all known metastatic sites to the usual approach of systemic therapy could shrink or remove the tumor(s) or prevent the tumor(s) from returning.
Alliance A022102
This phase III trial compares the effect of modified fluorouracil, leucovorin calcium, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan (mFOLFIRINOX) to modified fluorouracil, leucovorin calcium, and oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX) for the treatment of advanced, unresectable, or metastatic HER2 negative esophageal, gastroesophageal junction, and gastric adenocarcinoma. The usual approach for patients is treatment with FOLFOX chemotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Fluorouracil stops cells from making DNA and it may kill tumor cells. Leucovorin is used with fluorouracil to enhance the effects of the drug. Oxaliplatin works by killing, stopping, or slowing the growth of tumor cells. Some patients also receive an immunotherapy drug, nivolumab, in addition to FOLFOX chemotherapy. Immunotherapy may induce changes in body's immune system and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Irinotecan blocks certain enzymes needed for cell division and DNA repair, and it may kill tumor cells. Adding irinotecan to the FOLFOX regimen could shrink the cancer and extend the life of patients with advanced gastroesophageal cancers.
CCTG-CO32
This study is being done to answer the following questions: Is the chance of rectal cancer responding the same if chemotherapy alone is given before limited surgery compared to chemotherapy and radiation therapy given together before limited surgery? If radiation therapy is not given, is quality of life better?
ECOG-ACRIN EA2192
This phase II trial investigates how well the addition of olaparib following completion of surgery and chemotherapy works in treating patients with pancreatic cancer that has been surgically removed (resected) and has a pathogenic mutation in BRCA1, BRCA2, or PALB2. Olaparib is an inhibitor of PARP, an enzyme that helps repair deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) when it becomes damaged. Blocking PARP may help keep tumor cells from repairing their damaged DNA, causing them to die. PARP inhibitors are a type of targeted therapy.
ECOG-ACRIN EA2234
This study is testing to see if the chance of gastric cancer growing or spreading is lowered by administering paclitaxel chemotherapy directly into the abdominal cavity in addition to chemotherapy given through a vein in the arm. Patients will first receive a surgical procedure called a diagnostic laparoscopy. This will help the study doctors learn more about the patient's gastric cancer. The study group will be assigned by the trial during the surgery. Patients will not know their study group until after the surgery is over. Information learned during the surgery helps determine the study group assigned. Study group 1: no intraperitoneal port. Patients receive standard chemotherapy regimen chosen by the patient and the doctor. Study group 2: intraperitoneal port is placed. Pt will receive standard chemotherapy, plus the port will be used to deliver the medication paclitaxel directly inside the abdomen. Once fully healed from surgery, patients will start assigned study treatment. Treatment will continue for three (3) months after which patients are reevaluated. If the disease is under control or responding to treatment, the assigned treatment may be continued. Some patients may be offered a surgical procedure to remove the cancer if the amount of disease is low and can be completely removed as determined by a surgeon.
NRG-GI003
This phase III trial studies how well radiation therapy with protons works compared with photons in treating patients with liver cancer. Radiation therapy, such as photon therapy, uses high energy x-rays to send the radiation inside the body to the tumor while proton therapy uses a beam of proton particles. Proton therapy can stop shortly after penetrating through the tumor and may cause less damage to the surrounding healthy organs and result in better survival in patients with liver cancer.
NRG-GI006
This trial studies how well proton beam radiation therapy compared with intensity modulated photon radiotherapy works in treating patients with stage I-IVA esophageal cancer. Proton beam radiation therapy uses a beam of protons (rather than x-rays) to send radiation inside the body to the tumor without damaging much of the healthy tissue around it. Intensity modulated photon radiotherapy uses high-energy x-rays to deliver radiation directly to the tumor without damaging much of the healthy tissue around it. It is not yet known whether proton beam therapy or intensity modulated photon radiotherapy will work better in treating patients with esophageal cancer.
NRG-GI008
This Phase II/III trial will evaluate the what kind of chemotherapy to recommend to patients based on the presence or absences of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) after surgery for colon cancer.
SWOG S1922
This phase II trial studies how well ramucirumab and paclitaxel or the FOLFIRI regimen (leucovorin calcium, fluorouracil, and irinotecan hydrochloride) work in treating patients with small bowel cancers that have spread extensively to other anatomic sites (advanced) or are no longer responding to treatment (refractory). Ramucirumab is a monoclonal antibody that attaches to and inhibits a molecule called VEGFR-2. This may restrain new blood vessel formation therefore reducing nutrient supply to tumor which may interfere with tumor cell growth and expansion. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, leucovorin calcium, fluorouracil, and irinotecan hydrochloride work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving Ramucirumab plus paclitaxel or FOLFIRI, may be helpful in treating advanced or refractory small bowel cancers and may help patients live longer.
SWOG S2104
This phase II trial studies the effect of capecitabine and temozolomide after surgery in treating patients with high-risk well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Chemotherapy drugs, such as capecitabine and temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving capecitabine and temozolomide after surgery could prevent or delay the return of cancer in patients with high-risk well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
Wake Forest WF-1806
This trial studies if myopenia (low muscle mass) plays a role in experiencing side effects from chemotherapy in older patients with colorectal cancer that has spread to other areas of the body (metastatic). Chemotherapy treatments for colorectal cancer can cause side effects such as low blood counts, nausea and vomiting, or mouth sores. Researchers are trying to determine if muscle mass has a role in how bad side effects from chemotherapy can be.