Metastatic Malignant Neoplasm in the Bone

This study investigates how well radium-223 works in treating patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer than has spread to the bones (bone metastases). Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer death. Furthermore, many men with notably advanced disease have been found to have abnormalities in DNA repair. The purpose of this research is to study the role of a DNA repair pathway in prostate cancer, specifically in response to administration of radium-223, an FDA-approved drug known to cause DNA damage to cancerous cells. Understanding how defects in the DNA repair pathway affects radium-223 treatment of prostate, may help doctors help plan effective treatment in future patients.

This study collects and studies tissue and blood samples from patients with prostate or bladder/urothelial cancer that has recurred (come back) at or near the same place as the original (primary) tumor or has spread to other parts of the body. Studying samples of blood and tissue samples from patients with prostate or bladder/urothelial cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about new biomarkers, potential drug targets, and resistance developing in response to treatment. It may also help doctors find better ways to treat the cancer.

This clinical trial tests how well monitoring the sacral reflexes during surgery (intraoperatively) works to predict the post operative function for patients undergoing removal of the lowest part of the spine (sacrectomy) for pelvic bone cancers or patients undergoing spinal procedures. These surgical procedures can lead to damage to sacral root nerves which can result in impairment to the lower extremities, bowel, bladder, and sexual function. Intraoperative monitoring of sacral reflexes can provide objective, real-time information about pelvic nerve function during surgery. This can aid surgical decision-making and help surgeons better prepare patients to understand the changes that may have occurred to their function as a result of surgery. Intraoperative neuromonitoring may work well to predict postoperative function in patients undergoing sacrectomy for pelvic bone malignancy or patients undergoing spinal procedures.

This phase II trial studies how well low-dose radiotherapy works in treating bone pain in patients with multiple myeloma that has spread to the bone. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons, or other sources to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Low-dose radiotherapy may be more convenient for patients and their families, may not interfere as much with the timing of chemotherapy, and may have less chance for short term or long-term side effects from the radiation.

This phase I trial tests the safety, side effects and best dose of tin (Sn)-177m-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and how well it works in treating prostate, breast or non-small cell lung cancer that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to the bones (bone metastases). Sn-117m-DTPA was originally tested in tumors that had spread to the bones to help reduce bone pain. The drug has been improved and is designed to send low-level radiation to tumors in the bone while being gentler on the bone marrow, where blood cells are made. Sn-117m-DTPA may be safe and tolerable, and may slow down or shrink tumors in patients with metastatic prostate, breast, or non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to the bones.

This trial compares cryoablation combined with stereotactic body radiation therapy to stereotactic body radiation therapy alone to see how well they work in treating patients with pain from cancer that has spread to the bones (bone metastases). Bone is a common site of metastasis in advanced cancer, and bone metastases often result in debilitating cancer-related pain. The current standard of care to treat painful bone metastases is radiation therapy alone. However, many patients do not get adequate pain relief from radiation therapy alone. Another type of therapy that may be used to provide pain relief from bone metastases is cryoablation. Cryoablation is a procedure in which special needles are inserted into the tumor site. These needles grow ice balls at their tips to freeze and kill cancer cells. The goal of this trial is to compare how well cryoablation in combination with radiation therapy works to radiation therapy alone when given to cancer patients to provide pain relief from bone metastases.

This clinical trial tests the safety and effectiveness of a single-dose treatment of biology-guided radiation therapy (BgRT) in treating patients with painful cancer that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to the bone (bone metastases). Bone metastases can result in significant pain and reduction in quality of life. Single fraction radiation therapy (SFRT) can produce equivalent pain relief compared to multi-fraction radiation therapy, but SFRT treatments generally lead to higher rates of retreatment. BgRT is a new and innovative form of radiation delivery that uses a signal generated by positron emission tomography to guide external beam radiation therapy. It is a technology breakthrough that uses live, continuously updated data throughout the entire treatment session to determine exactly where to deliver radiotherapy to biologically active tumors. Giving BgRT may be safe and effective in treating patients with painful bone metastases.