Clinical Trials to Treat Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma

A Phase 1/2 Study of PXD101 (Belinostat) in Combination With Cisplatin, Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide in the First Line Treatment of Advanced or Recurrent Thymic, Malignancies

Trial Description
Summary

Background:

• Tumors of the thymus are rare and can be treated with surgery, but it is often difficult to determine whether a thymic tumor is malignant based on biopsy alone and the long-term survival rate is less than 50 percent. Because thymic tumors are so rare, most treatment knowledge comes from a relatively small series of cases, and the choice of treatment usually depends on the hospital or clinic staff's experience and familiarity with a given chemotherapy and surgery regimen.

• Belinostat is an investigational anticancer drug that has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in any cancer. Researchers are interested in determining whether belinostat can be combined with conventional chemotherapy to safely and effectively treat advanced thymic cancer.

Objectives:

• To determine a safe and tolerable dose of belinostat that can be given in combination with cisplatin, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide.

• To determine if belinostat (combined with the abovementioned standard chemotherapy regimen) is effective against thymic cancer cells.

Eligibility:

• Individuals at least 18 years of age who have been diagnosed with advanced or recurrent thymic malignancy that is not considered to be curable with surgery or radiation therapy, and who have not received previous chemotherapy treatment.

Design:

• Participants will be screened with a physical exam, blood tests, and imaging studies as directed by the study researchers.
•  
• Participants will receive six 21-day cycles (18 weeks) of treatment with belinostat in combination with cisplatin, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide. The treatment will require continuous infusion over 3 days, and participants will remain in the treatment center during this time. Participants will have regular blood tests, clinic visits, and imaging studies during the treatment period.

• Participants who complete the six treatment cycles with no severe side effects may be offered the option to continue treatment with belinostat alone.

• After the 18-week study period, participants will return for regular follow-up exams for at least 4 weeks, and will be asked to remain in contact with the study researchers once a year to continue to study long-term effects....

 Trial Contact Information
Trial Lead Organizations/Sponsors
National Cancer Institute

Arun Rajan, M.D.

Principal Investigator

Michell J Manu, R.N.		Ph: (301) 402-4423
		Email: manumichell@mail.nih.gov

Trial Sites

U.S.A.
Maryland
	Bethesda
	NIH - Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center
		For more information at the NIH Clinical Center contact National Cancer Institute Referral Office	Ph: (888) NCI-1937
Massachusetts
	Boston
	Massachusetts General Hospital

Link to the current ClinicalTrials.gov record.
NLM Identifer NCT01100944
Information obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov on February 18, 2013