Current Research & Innovations

Lung Cancer

• Biomarkers of Diagnosis and Prognosis in Thoracic Tumors —The purpose of this study is to discover and validate the genes and proteins expressed in tumors and in blood that are diagnostic or that predict remission and prognosis. (Charles Powell, MD)
• Breath test for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) to Test for Primary Carcinoma of the Lung —Cross-sectional multicenter phase III study comparing cancer-free controls (with a negative spiral CT of chest) to patients with tissue-confirmed primary lung cancer. ( , )
• Investigational Therapy May Help Avoid Lung Removal Surgery for Patients with Pleural Mesothelioma —The Mesothelioma Center within the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center is now recruiting patients for a clinical research study of a new targeted radiation and chemotherapy protocol for pleural mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung's lining that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. The standard treatment for pleural mesothelioma is currently surgery to remove the patient's lung — a potentially debilitating consequence. This study will investigate whether a combination of chemotherapy and radiation targeted directly at the lung's lining can improve outcomes while avoiding surgery. Overall, it is hoped that this study will decrease the need for patients to undergo radical surgery. (Robert Taub, MD)
• Lobectomy —Study of tumor growth promoting factors after minimally invasive lobectomy vs. open lobectomy as evaluated by levels of circulating growth factors, their binding proteins and receptors. ( , )
• Lung Cancer: Vaccination with NYLESO-1 Recombinant Protein combined with Nontanide-51 —Vaccination with NYLESO-1 Recombinant Protein combined with Nontanide-51 as Immunotherapy Strategy for Lung Cancer Patients ( , )
• Mesothelioma--Oxaliplatin Trial —A trimodal treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma. (Robert Taub, MD)
• NY-ELCAP —To study early detection methods for lung cancer ( , )
• PET/CT scanning —A more targeted treatment of lung cancer. (Richard Gewanter, MD)
• recMAGE Immunotherapy Trial —A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase III study to assess the efficacy of recMAGE-A3 + AS15 Antigen-Specific Cancer Immunotherapeutic as adjuvant therapy in patients with resectable MAGE-A3-positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer ( , )
• Specialized chemotherapy trial —For treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (Mark Ginsburg, MD)
• Stage IA Lung Cancer —Selenium as a chemoprevention agent, to reduce the risk of developing second lung cancers. ( , )
• Stage IB and Stage II Lung Cancer —Intergroup randomized trial of Iressa following surgery. This new drug, which has few side effects, may prevent recurrence and improve survival after removal of early-stage lung cancer. ( , )
• Stage II Lung Cancer —A multi-institutional randomized trial of preoperative chemotherapy. This protocol was developed at Columbia University Medical Center. Several medical centers around the country are participating in this clinical trial. ( , )
• Stage IV Lung Cancer —In patients with advanced lung cancer that have failed to respond to chemotherapy, there are several research protocols currently being evaluated. Many of these novel therapies, which include chemotherapy or vaccines, are only available at Columbia University ( , )