Treatment of Relapsed and/or Chemotherapy Refractory Advanced Malignancies by CART-meso

RATIONALE: Placing a tumor antigen chimeric receptor that has been created in the laboratory into patient autologous or donor-derived T cells may make the body build immune response to kill cancer cells.

PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying genetically engineered lymphocyte therapy in treating patients with Relapsed and/or Chemotherapy Refractory Advanced Malignancies.

Study to Evaluate if Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy Improves Recurrence Free Survival in Pancreatic Head Cancer

Net-Pac investigates if radiation prior to surgical resection improves survival in patients with pancreatic head cancer without metastases.

Perioperative Therapy for Resectable and Borderline-Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma With Molecular Correlates

The objective of this study is to estimate the R0 resection rate in patients with Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (R-PDAC) as well as those with Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (BR-PDAC) independently in response to neoadjuvant sequential therapy of combination nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine followed by stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

Feasibility of Using Ultrasound to Track Respiration Motion

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of using ultrasound to image and track pancreas/duodenum motion during radiation therapy treatment delivery. Also develop a workflow and process to allow the final ultrasound system to be used routinely by radiation therapists.

PRIMUS002: Looking at 2 Neo-adjuvant Treatment Regimens for Resectable and Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer

PRIMUS 002 is looking at 2 different chemotherapy regimens in the neo-adjuvant setting for pancreatic cancer. Each treatment will be given for 3 months prior to surgery

S1505: Combination Chemotherapy or Gemcitabine Hydrochloride and Paclitaxel Albumin-Stabilized Nanoparticle Formulation Before Surgery in Treating Patients With Pancreatic Cancer That Can Be Removed by Surgery

This randomized phase II trial studies how well fluorouracil, irinotecan hydrochloride, and oxaliplatin (combination chemotherapy) works and compares to gemcitabine hydrochloride and paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation before surgery in treating patients with pancreatic cancer that can be removed by surgery. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as fluorouracil, irinotecan hydrochloride, oxaliplatin, gemcitabine hydrochloride, and paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether combination chemotherapy is more effective than gemcitabine hydrochloride and paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation before surgery in treating pancreatic cancer.

Sorafenib, Pemetrexed, and Cisplatin in Treating Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors

RATIONALE: Sorafenib and pemetrexed may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Sorafenib may also stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving sorafenib together with pemetrexed and cisplatin may kill more tumor cells.

PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of sorafenib when given together with pemetrexed and cisplatin in treating patients with advanced solid tumors.

Study of Neo-adjuvant RO7009789 Alone or Neo-adjuvant RO7009789 Plus Nab-Paclitaxel and Gemcitabine Followed by Adjuvant RO7009789 Plus Nab-Paclitaxel and Gemcitabine for Patients With Newly Diagnosed Resectable Pancreatic Carcinoma

The main purpose of this study is to learn if adding the investigational drug RO7009789 (anti-CD40) to nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine both before surgery and after surgery is safe, feasible, and beneficial to patients with pancreatic cancer. This study also intends to look at blood and tissue samples to help doctors better understand the role of the immune system in fighting cancer.

Evaluation of a Mixed Meal Test for Diagnosis and Characterization and Type 3c Diabetes Mellitus Secondary to Pancreatic Cancer and Chronic Pancreatitis (DETECT)

The Coordinating and Data Management Center (CDMC) at MD Anderson Cancer will be responsible for the coordination and data management for the Evaluation of a mixed meal test for Diagnosis and characterization of Type 3c diabetes mellitus secondary to pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis (DETECT), which is part of the NIH U01 funded Consortium for the Study of Chronic Pancreatitis, Diabetes, and Pancreatic Cancer (CPDPC). Similar to all studies that will be coordinated and managed by the CDMC, no patient enrollment will occur at MDACC. All patient recruitment will occur at external sites that are a part of the CPDPC, which are listed in the appended DETECT protocol. The data management systems, auditing, and monitoring effort are supported by the CDMC.

New Treatment Option for Pancreatic Cancer

In the United States, approximately 30,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer are diagnosed each year and an almost equal number of deaths are related to this cancer. Different types of chemotherapeutic treatments are used that target different parts of the cancer cell with some success, but there is room for other treatment options.

It is known that people with cancer are using high doses of intravenous vitamin C also known as ascorbate, as a cancer treatment and this is occurring frequently. When Vitamin C is given in this manner, it is not taken by mouth; instead, it enters your body through an IV (intravenous) site, or tube that is inserted through a needle into your vein. If you have a port-a-cath in place, the IV will be given using your port. When Vitamin C enters your body through an IV site, it is known that it acts like a drug and not a vitamin. It produces a substance around the cancer cells called hydrogen peroxide. It has been seen in animal research studies that hydrogen peroxide kills the cancer cells while leaving the normal cells unharmed.

Currently the FDA does not approve the use of high-dose intravenous Vitamin C as a cancer treatment. The use of intravenous Vitamin C in this study is experimental. Furthermore, it is important to know that we do not expect the intravenous Vitamin C given in this study to be healing for the treatment of your cancer.