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The Gut Microbiome and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy in Solid Tumors
The microbiome has the potential to serve as a robust biomarker of clinical response to immunotherapy. Additionally, microbial manipulation, through diet, exercise, prebiotics, probiotics, or microbially-derived metabolites, may prove to be beneficial in promoting anti-tumor immune responses. However, large prospective studies in humans with longitudinal sample collection and standardized methods are needed to understand how microbiota and their byproducts affect cancer therapies, particularly among patients undergoing identical therapy but experiencing different outcomes. The proposed observational study builds upon these hypotheses...
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The Immune Effects of Fermented Wheat Germ Nutritional Supplementation in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumor Cancers Being Treated With Standard of Care Checkpoint Inhibitors
This phase I clinical trial tests the immune effects of fermented wheat germ in patients with advanced solid tumor cancers who are being treated with standard of care checkpoint inhibitors. Fermented wheat germ is a nutritional supplement that some claim is a "dietary food for special medical purposes for cancer patients" to support them in treatment. There have also been claims that fermented wheat germ is "clinically proven" and "recognized by medical experts" to "enhance oncological treatment" and boost immune response to cancer; however, there are currently no documented therapeutic effects of fermented wheat germ as a ...
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The Incidence and Outcomes of Metabolically Active Brown Adipose Tissue (aBAT) in Patients With Pheochromocytoma or Paraganglioma (PPGLs)
White adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT) form the main adipose tissue subtypes in humans and several animals. BAT, owing to its unique metabolic function, has been of increased focus and interest in metabolic research (1). BAT forms the major organ of non-shivering thermogenesis in the body, and is dependent on the large concentration of mitochondria and increased uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) activity present in this type of tissue (2). There are numerous triggers for the metabolic activation of BAT including cold temperature, low body mass index (BMI), adrenergic agonists, and elevated concentration of thyroid...
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The MELAcare Study: A New Method for Surveillance of Melanoma Patients
The aim of this study is to evaluate a new method of follow-up for patients with low and intermediate risk (stages IA-IIA) melanoma. The investigators will compare different tools for patient support and education combined with clinician supported skin self-examination (SSE) to the current standard-of-care. The hypothesis is that meta-cognitive strategies and clinician supported SSE can lower fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and promote effective SSE on a regular basis without compromising the detection of new primary melanomas and/or metastases.
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The Molecular Screening Study for the Umbrella Trial (SUKSES) in Relapsed Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients [SUKSES-S]
This protocol is a molecular screening protocol only. No drug intervention study will be included in this protocol. Based on the molecular profiling, patients may be eligible for drug intervention study of SUKSES trial. This procedure can be performed during or after the first-line treatment. DNA will be extracted from the archived or fresh tissue and blood. NGS-based cancer panel and Nanostring CNV will be tested with DNA from tissue and/or blood. Immunohistochemistry and FISH will be done by pathologists using archived or fresh tissue. Tumor tissues (fresh or archival) will be analyzed using NGS-based cancer panel,...
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The MOMENTUM Study: The Multiple Outcome Evaluation of Radiation Therapy Using the MR-Linac Study
The Multi-OutcoMe EvaluatioN of radiation Therapy Using the Unity MR-Linac Study (MOMENTUM) is a multi-institutional, international registry facilitating evidenced based implementation of the Unity MR-Linac technology and further technical development of the MR-Linac system with the ultimate purpose to improve patients' survival, local, and regional tumor control and quality of life.
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The Neural Code and Dynamics of the Reading Network.
The purpose of this study is to compare organization of normal brain function as detected using Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in normal subjects as opposed to patients with epilepsy or brain tumors, to ascribe precise anatomic labels (including Brodmann Areas) and functional significance to each region involved in cognitive processes as detected by cortical stimulation mapping (CSM) in patients with implanted subdural electrodes (SDE) or depth (sEEG) electrodes, to describe the locations of these regions in Talairach space, for a population of patients without overt structural abnormalities in these regions, to generate a ...
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The PALSUR-study: Palliative Care Versus Surgery in High-grade Glioma Patients (ENCRAM 2203)
There is no consensus on the optimal treatment of patients with high-grade glioma, especially when patients have limited functioning performance at presentation (KPS ≤70). Therefore, there are varied practice patterns around pursuing biopsy, resection, or palliation (best supportive care). This study aims to characterize the impact of palliative care versus biopsy versus resection on survival and quality of life in these patients. Also, it will aim to determine if there is a subset of patients that benefit the most from resection or biopsy, for which outcome, and how they could be identified preoperatively. This study is an...
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The PCSK9i Inhibitor Evolocumab - a Surgical Trial of Pharamcodynamics and Kinetics Evaluation
This Phase 0 surgical window of opportunity trial seeks to evaluate the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) properties of an FDA-approved proprotein convertase/ kexin type 9 serine protease inhibitor (PCSK9i) in patients with primary and recurrent World Health Organization (WHO) grade IV malignant glioma. The investigators intend to evaluate whether a clinically licensed PCSK9i called evolocumab (also known as Repatha) can be repurposed as a potential immunotherapeutic for high grade glioma by testing its ability to access the intracranial space. The primary objective is to evaluate whether evolocumab crosses the blood ...
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The Prognostic Value of 18F-PFPN PET Imaging in Patients With Malignant Melanoma
This is a monocentric prospective study. This study aims to investigate the prognostic value of the novel melanin-targeted imaging modality 18F-PFPN PET in patients with melanoma and seek independent prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The patients with clinically highly suspected or confirmed melanoma who underwent 18F-PFPN and 18F-FDG PET scans will be enrolled consecutively. Patients' PET images, clinical characteristics, and follow-up information will be collected for prognostic analyses. This study plans to set the sample size as 100 cases.
