Surgical Procedure

\*As of June 2026- Phase I has been completed and we are now in Phase II. This phase I/II trial studies the side effects and how well fluorescence image guided surgery followed by intraoperative photodynamic therapy for improving local tumor control in patients with colorectal cancer that has spread to nearby tissue or lymph nodes (locally advanced) or that has come back after a period of improvement (recurrent). Fluorescence image guided surgery uses a drug named aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride. Aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride is a photosensitizing agent, meaning that is activated by light and, is converted to another drug in cancer cells more than in normal cells. The converted drug emits fluorescence red light when activated with low power blue light. It is used to assist the surgeon to see cancer cells and small cancerous tissue that may have been missed during routine surgery. In addition to emitting fluorescence light, the converted drug in the cancer cells and tissue can be activated with red laser light to kill cancer cells. This procedure is called photodynamic therapy (PDT). Performing fluorescence image guided surgery followed by intraoperative photodynamic therapy after the surgical removal of the colorectal tumor before the surgical site will be closed may be effective and improve outcomes in patients with locally advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer.

This phase IV trial compares how well methadone plus standard fentanyl given during surgery (intraoperative) works compared to intraoperative standard fentanyl alone in managing pain after surgery (postoperative) among patients with head and neck cancers. For most head and neck cancers, the standard treatment is surgery to remove the cancer followed by surgical reconstruction, which often requires tissue harvested from another part of the body-known as a "free flap tissue transfer". These procedures are highly complex, demand a two-surgeon team, and often take many hours to complete. The combination of multiple operative sites and extent of the surgery contributes to significant postoperative pain. Methadone is not yet used in the head and neck population but has been utilized in other subspecialties like spine and cardiac surgery. The benefits of methadone may include improved pain control in the first 72 hours postoperatively requiring less opioids postoperatively and improvement in overall pain scores. Giving intraoperative methadone plus standard fentanyl may work better than fentanyl alone in managing postoperative pain among patients with head and neck cancers.

This phase II trial compares the effect of GI-102 alone and in combination with pembrolizumab given before surgery in treating patients with IDH wildtype glioblastoma and IDH mutated grade 4 astrocytoma that has come back after a period of improvement (recurrent) or that is growing, spreading, or getting worse (progressive). Glioblastoma is the most common and the most aggressive primary brain tumor in adults. Current standard of care includes surgical resection, radiation and chemotherapy. Treatment is often given before surgery (neoadjuvant therapy) to shrink the tumor and make it easier to remove. Treatment with GI-102, a bispecific fusion protein, may induce changes in body's immune system and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the tumor, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving GI-102 alone and in combination with pembrolizumab between neoadjuvant therapy and surgery may be safe, tolerable, and effective in treating patients with recurrent or progressive IDH wildtype glioblastoma and IDH mutated grade 4 astrocytoma.

This phase II trial tests how well a fixed dose combination (FDC) of cemiplimab and fianlimab before surgery (neoadjuvant) works in treating patients with stage IB-IIIB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The current standard of care (SOC) for NSCLC is to give chemotherapy and immunotherapy before going to surgery to have the cancer removed (neoadjuvant therapy). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as cemiplimab and fianlimab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving a FDC of cemiplimab and fianlimab before surgery may kill more tumor cells in treating patients with stage IB-IIIB NSCLC.

The purpose of this study is to compare two approaches for monitoring pancreatic cysts as well as to identify associated biomarkers. The study doctors want to compare more frequent monitoring versus less frequent monitoring as well as identify biomarkers which may improve risk detection of transformation to pancreatic cancer. The study doctors want to learn which monitoring method and which biomarkers lead to better outcomes for patients.

This phase II trial tests how well the combination of WP1066 and radiation therapy works in treating newly diagnosed glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is difficult to treat effectively because the cells within the tumor vary widely and are controlled by factors within and around the tumor, requiring multiple approaches to treat the tumor. The study drug WP1066 targets a specific pathway, known as STAT3, which is responsible for promoting tumor growth and causing the body's immune system to avoid attacking the tumor. Radiation therapy prevents glioblastoma from growing. Giving WP1066 with radiation therapy may prevent glioblastoma from growing and prolong survival.

This phase Ib trial tests the safety and side effects of ERAS-801 in treating patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wildtype, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) amplified or mutated grade IV glioblastoma or gliosarcoma that can be removed by surgery (resectable) and that is growing, spreading, or getting worse (progressive), that has come back after a period of improvement (recurrent) or that is newly diagnosed in an elderly patient. Glioblastoma is the most common brain cancer in adults and survival rates remain poor despite treatment including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. EGFR is a protein found on the surface of some cells, to which epidermal growth factor binds, causing the cells to divide. It is found at abnormally high levels on the surface of many types of tumor cells, so these cells may divide excessively in the presence of epidermal growth factor. ERAS-801, an EGFR inhibitor that can penetrate the central nervous system, binds to the tumor cells that express EGFR and may help shrink or slow the growth of the tumor cells.

This phase I trial tests the safety, side effects, and best dose of decitabine in combination with standard of care surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy and the effectiveness of the combination in treating patients with head and neck squamous cell cancers that are not caused by human papilloma virus (HPV-negative) and that can be removed by surgery (resectable). Decitabine, an antimetabolite, stops cells from making deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and may kill tumor cells. Studies have shown that medications like decitabine can make some types of solid tumors more sensitive to chemotherapy. This allows the chemotherapy to be more effective, with slower progression and longer survival. Decitabine is also a clinically active demethylating agent, and may help make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is a type of radiation that uses a machine to aim high-energy rays at the tumor from outside the body. 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. Giving decitabine in combination with standard of care surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy may be safe, tolerable, and/or effective in treating patients with surgically resectable HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell cancers.

This phase III trial compares standard therapy given after surgery (adjuvant) to standard therapy given before and after surgery (perioperative) in treating patients with stage II-IIIB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that can be removed by surgery (resectable). The usual approach for patients with resectable NSCLC is chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy before surgery, after surgery, or both before and after surgery. This study is being done to find out which approach is better at treating patients with lung cancer. Treatment will be administered according to the current standard of care at the time of enrollment. Chemotherapy options may include cisplatin, carboplatin, pemetrexed, gemcitabine, docetaxel, and vinorelbine at standard doses according to the treating physician. Cisplatin is in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of tumor cells. 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. Pemetrexed is in a class of medications called antifolate antineoplastic agents. It works by stopping cells from using folic acid to make deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and may kill tumor cells. Gemcitabine is a chemotherapy drug that blocks the cells from making DNA and may kill tumor cells. Docetaxel is in a class of medications called taxanes. It stops tumor cells from growing and dividing and may kill them. Other chemotherapy drugs, such as vinorelbine, 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 . Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and atezolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the tumor, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Starting treatment with chemotherapy and immunotherapy prior to surgery and continuing treatment after surgery may be a more effective treatment option than adjuvant therapy alone in patients with stage II-IIIB resectable NSCLC.

Badanie porównuje leczenie raka piersi potrójnie negatywnego (stadium II-IIIA) kombinacją chemioterapii, immunoterapii i nowego leku darolutamid versus standardowe leczenie bez darolutamidu. Celem jest zmniejszenie guza przed operacją.