Clinical Trials Search at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

This open-label, exploratory study is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of
targeted therapies or immunotherapy as single agents or combinations, in participants with
metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) whose tumors are biomarker positive as per treatment
arm-specific definition. Eligible participants with mCRC will be enrolled into specific
treatment arms based on their biomarker assay results.

This phase II/III trial compares the effect of immunotherapy with atezolizumab in combination with standard chemotherapy with a platinum drug (cisplatin or carboplatin) and etoposide versus standard therapy alone for the treatment of poorly differentiated extrapulmonary (originated outside the lung) neuroendocrine cancer that may have spread from where it first started to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body (advanced) or that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body (metastatic). The other aim of this trial is to compare using atezolizumab just at the beginning of treatment versus continuing it beyond the initial treatment. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as atezolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Cisplatin and carboplatin are in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds that work by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Etoposide is in a class of medications known as podophyllotoxin derivatives. It blocks a certain enzyme needed for cell division and DNA repair, and it may kill cancer cells. Giving atezolizumab in combination with a platinum drug (cisplatin or carboplatin) and etoposide may work better in treating patients with poorly differentiated extrapulmonary neuroendocrine cancer compared to standard therapy with a platinum drug (cisplatin or carboplatin) and etoposide alone.

This phase I/II trial studies the side effects, safety, and effectiveness of low dose radiation to the entire body (total body irradiation [TBI]) and higher dose radiation to known areas of cancer (hypofractionated radiation therapy [H-RT]) combined with atezolizumab and chemotherapy (carboplatin & etoposide) in treating patients with small cell lung cancer that has spread to disease sites outside of the lung (extensive stage). Extensive stage disease has historically been treated with chemotherapy alone with consideration of chest (thoracic) radiation therapy for those with response to chemotherapy, as well as consideration of preventative radiation therapy to the head (prophylactic cranial irradiation). Emerging evidence supports the synergistic interactions between immunotherapy and radiation therapy. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as atezolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Carboplatin is in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works in a way similar to the anticancer drug cisplatin, but may be better tolerated than cisplatin. Carboplatin works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of tumor cells. Etoposide is in a class of medications known as podophyllotoxin derivatives. It blocks a certain enzyme needed for cell division and DNA repair and may kill tumor cells. Combining TBI and H-RT with atezolizumab and chemotherapy may improve response to treatment.