Clinical Trials Search at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

This study will assess pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic (PD) relationships and whether
BXQ-350 may decrease the intensity and/or duration of chemotherapy induced peripheral
neuropathy (CIPN) thereby improving quality of life (QoL) in cancer patients who have been
exposed to oxaliplatin and/or taxane-based chemotherapy. This study includes two randomized,
placebo controlled, blinded treatment cycles of BXQ-350/placebo, an optional open-label
BXQ-350 treatment period, and an unblinded Post-Treatment Follow-up period.

This clinical trial studies the effect of the ERAS pain management method in managing pain after surgery in patients with extremity soft tissue sarcoma. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery, or ERAS, is a pain management method that places emphasis on managing risk factors (things like smoking, nutrition and fitness), using multiple types of pain control, and early movement, with the goal of improving patient outcomes. ERAS has been shown to reduce the length of time some patients stay in the hospital, reduce complications from surgery, and even lower costs of some surgeries. ERAS is designed may help cut down on the use of these narcotics in managing the pain of surgery patients. The purpose of this trial is to demonstrate that ERAS is safe and effective for patients having surgery to treat their sarcoma. Specifically, this study will look at using a non-narcotic pain management program that includes other methods of managing the pain of sarcoma surgery patients.

This phase III trial compares memantine to usual treatment in treating patients with primary central nervous system tumors. Memantine may block receptors (parts of nerve cells) in the brain known to contribute to a decline in cognitive function. Giving memantine may make a difference in cognitive function (attention, memory, or other thought processes) in children and adolescents receiving brain radiation therapy to treat a primary central nervous system tumors.

This phase III trial compares the effect of adding levocarnitine to standard chemotherapy vs. standard chemotherapy alone in protecting the liver in patients with leukemia or lymphoma. Asparaginase is part of the standard of care chemotherapy for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL), and mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL). However, in adolescent and young adults (AYA) ages 15-39 years, liver toxicity from asparaginase is common and often prevents delivery of planned chemotherapy, thereby potentially compromising outcomes. Some groups of people may also be at higher risk for liver damage due to the presence of fat in the liver even before starting chemotherapy. Patients who are of Japanese descent, Native Hawaiian, Hispanic or Latinx may be at greater risk for liver damage from chemotherapy for this reason. Carnitine is a naturally occurring nutrient that is part of a typical diet and is also made by the body. Carnitine is necessary for metabolism and its deficiency or absence is associated with liver and other organ damage. Levocarnitine is a drug used to provide extra carnitine. Laboratory and real-world usage of the dietary supplement levocarnitine suggests its potential to prevent or reduce liver toxicity from asparaginase. The overall goal of this study is to determine whether adding levocarnitine to standard of care chemotherapy will reduce the chance of developing severe liver damage from asparaginase chemotherapy in ALL, LL and/or MPAL patients.

This trial studies the impact of indwelling tunneled pleural drainage systems (gravity or vacuum based) on pain in patients with plural effusion that has come back (recurrent). Vacuum drainage and gravity drainage are two commonly used drainage methods. Studying the best drainage methods may help future patients undergoing indwelling tunneled pleural catheter placement.

This phase II/III trial studies the best approach in improving quality of life and survival after a donor stem cell transplant in older, weak, or frail patients with blood diseases. Patients who have undergone a transplant often experience increases in disease and death. One approach, supportive and palliative care (SPC), focuses on relieving symptoms of stress from serious illness and care through physical, cultural, psychological, social, spiritual, and ethical aspects. While a second approach, clinical management of comorbidities (CMC) focuses on managing multiple diseases, other than cancer, such as heart or lung diseases through physical exercise, strength training, stress reduction, medication management, dietary recommendations, and education. Giving SPC, CMC, or a combination of both may work better in improving quality of life and survival after a donor stem cell transplant compared to standard of care in patients with blood diseases.

This phase II trial studies the treatment response for patients with acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). GVHD occurs when donor immune cells attack the healthy tissue of a bone marrow or stem cell transplant patient. The standard treatment for GVHD is to lower the activity of the donor cells by using steroid medications such as prednisone. But steroid treatment may cause many complications and the risk of these complications increases with higher doses of steroids and longer treatment. It is important to find ways to decrease the steroid treatment in patients who do not need long courses. Researchers are doing this study to find out how many subjects respond well to lower steroid dosing based on a blood test (GVHD biomarker) and if they develop fewer complications.

This trial studies whether the blood marker micro ribonucleic acid (miRNA) 371 can predict the chance of cancer returning in patients with germ cell cancers. Studying samples of blood from patients with germ cell cancers in the laboratory may help doctors predict how likely the cancer will come back.

The goal of this clinical study is to learn more about the long-term safety, effectiveness
and prolonged action of Kite study drugs, axicabtagene ciloleucel, brexucabtagene autoleucel,
KITE-222, KITE-363, KITE-439, KITE-585, and KITE-718, in participants of Kite-sponsored
interventional studies.

This study is being done to evaluate a combined biomarker model for risk stratification of indeterminate pulmonary nodules.