ANZCTR search results

RATIONALE: Interferon alfa may interfere with the growth of cancer cells. It is not yet known whether treatment with interferon alfa is more effective than observation alone for stage II or stage III melanoma that has been completely removed surgically. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying high dose interferon alfa to see how well it works compared to observation only in treating patients with stage II or stage III melanoma that has been completely removed by surgery.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Colony-stimulating factors such as thrombopoietin and G-CSF may increase the number of immune cells found in bone marrow or peripheral blood and may help a person's immune system recover from the side effects of chemotherapy. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of colony-stimulating factors in treating children who have recurrent or refractory solid tumors and who are receiving chemotherapy.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase III trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy in treating children who have Down syndrome and myeloproliferative disorder, acute myelogenous leukemia, or myelodysplastic syndrome.

Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of irofulven in treating children with recurrent or refractory solid tumors. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells so they stop growing or die.

RATIONALE: Questionnaires that measure quality of life may improve the ability to plan treatment for patients who have cancer of the esophagus. PURPOSE: This clinical trial studies quality-of-life assessments of patients with cancer of the esophagus who are receiving treatment.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases from kidney cancer, melanoma, or sarcoma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of ifosfamide in treating patients with meningeal tumors that have recurred or that cannot be removed surgically.

RATIONALE: The identification of gene mutations may allow doctors to better determine the prognosis of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying gene mutations to see if they are related to prognosis of cancer in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

RATIONALE: Vaccines may help the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of vaccination with monoclonal antibody BEC2 and BCG with that of no further therapy in treating patients who have limited-stage small cell lung cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of vinorelbine in treating children with recurrent or refractory cancer.