Melanoma

Clinical Trials

Below is a list of Melanoma clinical trials from the clinical trials database at Mayo Clinic.

This list includes only trials about which Mayo researchers choose to publish information. Mayo Clinic may be conducting other trials which are not in this database. Mayo's clinical trials include experimental treatments, often unavailable elsewhere, which frequently lead to improved patient care for people worldwide. Patients should ask their doctor at Mayo about clinical trials appropriate for their situation.

A Phase 1 Study of ABT-888 in Combination with Temozolomide (TMZ, Temodar) in Patients with Non-Hematologic (Blood) Malignancies (Cancer) and Metastatic Melanoma (MM)
This study is being done to:
- Evaluate the safety and tolerability of ABT-888 in combination with TMZ in treating solid cancers and metastatic melanoma
- Find the highest safe dose of ABT-888 in combination with TMZ (administered at one of two standard doses)
- Learn how the body handles and responds to treatment with ABT-888 and TMZ

Patients are also being asked to take part in an optional portion of the study to identify genetic reasons why certain individuals may respond differently to treatment with ABT-888 and TMZ.
ABT-888 is a new investigational drug being developed by Abbott Laboratories (Abbott) that interferes with the activity of PARP. PARP is an enzyme (protein) that may help cancer cells overcome injury or damage caused by radiation and certain types of chemotherapy. ABT-888 is not yet approved for use in the United States or any other countries. The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has allowed the use of ABT-888 in clinical trials.

TMZ is a chemotherapy drug that is approved by the FDA for the treatment of some types of brain cancer, and in Australia for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. However, the combination of ABT-888 and TMZ is also considered investigational. This clinical trial is the first study of this drug combination in humans.
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Biospecimen Resource for Familial Pancreas Research, a Data and Tissue Registry (also known as a bio-repository, bio-bank, data and tissue database, data and tissue bank, etc.) to Help Advance Research in Familial Pancreas Disease.
The research staff is collecting clinical and family histories, blood and/or tissue samples from family members of patients diagnosed with pancreatic diseases, including pancreatic cancer and melanoma. This will help the researchers to learn whether inherited factors increase the risk of pancreatic diseases, pancreatic cancer, or other cancers. These future studies could involve searching for changes in the genetic material (DNA) taken from blood and/or tissue. The information and samples will be used in future research studies.

Some of the future research studies could involve genetic testing. Because the genetic tests are not used for regular medical care, the patient will not be told the results of the test(s). The test results will not be put in the patient's medical record either.

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Evaluating Surgery Followed by Radiation Therapy for Patients with Desmoplastic Melanoma (N0275)
This study is being done to find out what effects (good and bad) radiation therapy has on a patient and desmoplastic melanoma.
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MC0677, B7-DC XAb Plasma Therapy for the Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma. A Feasibility/Pilot Study
Patients are being asked to take part in this research study because they have been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma and they are a candidate for plasma therapy. This treatment uses an antibody taken from a patient that appears to activate the immune system against melanoma.
The study drug is a small sample of the patient's plasma containing the antibody B7-DC XAb. The antibody was discovered for its ability to stimulate the immune system in a way in which the body would become aware of the presence of the cancer. The molecule will bind receptors on the surface of immune cells and stimulate anti-tumor immunity. The researchers can measure the results of this change in the peripheral blood (blood from a vein) as well as look to see if this will reduce the size of the tumors.
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The Use of a Heat Treatment and Vaccine for Patients with Stage 4 Melanoma
This study is being done to learn about the anti-tumor effectiveness of a heat shock vaccine in patients with stage 4 metastatic malignant melanoma.
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Transcutaneous (Topical) Peptide Immunization with NY-ESO-1b (SLLMWITQC) Peptide Using Resiquimod as an Immune Adjuvant: A Pilot Study
This study is being done to:
- Test the safety of the NY-ESO-1b/resiquimod vaccine
- See what effects (good and bad) the NY-ESO-1b/resiguimod vaccine has on a patient
- See if using the vaccine as a gel versus injection is more effective in stimulating the immune system

Both agents used in this study (NY-ESO-1b and resiquimod) have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in clinical trials. Neither has been approved for commercial use.
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