Education and Training

Radiation Therapy Residency

Medical Students

Medical Physics Residency

  • Decision Making in Hypothetical Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

    Participants will be presented with a hypothetical scenario of carpal tunnel and asked to make a decision for that case.

    Investigator

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  • Do Community Cancer Support Groups Reduce Physiological Stress in Women With Primary Breast Cancer?

    Women with primary breast cancer may benefit from participating in supports groups as they cope with treatment and the psychological challenges of survivorship. Studies have documented that these women benefit from support groups run in a university setting; however, no one has documented that they benefit from community cancer support groups. Many community cancer support groups exist and provide service to a large number of women with breast cancer. It is important to know if these groups are providing comparable service to well researched support groups. We conducted this study as the first randomized study of community compared to university-style support groups. Women had a 50/50 chance of being assigned to either a community or a university style support group based on a coin flip. This study took place in two sites The Wellness Community East Bay (Walnut Creek) and San Francisco. Two community groups were studied.

    i) This study evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of two community-based support group interventions for breast cancer patients [The Wellness (TWC) and Cancer Support (CSC) Communities, in the San Francisco area]. We compared them with a type of therapy developed in the university setting (Stanford's Supportive-Expressive group therapy), studied which aspects are most effective, and who benefits the most. We compared these women on change in emotional distress, means of coping with cancer, and social and family support. In addition, change in physiological response to stress was measured using saliva samples.

    ii) We were able to achieve recruitment for 6 of 8 groups proposed. We randomized 72 women in blocks of 12 taking consecutive women per site until we accrued 12 for each group. Of those, 61 women actually attended groups, of those 46 women to date completed at least one follow-up and were available for analysis for this report. We screened 108 women, 16 who were screened out on initial phone contact, 20 women began to go through our baseline interviews and assessments and either decided not to enroll or dropped out before we could compose a group for the second S.F. randomization. Our final two follow-up assessments for our final group in the East Bay are being conducted right now (8 month) and will be conducted in October, 2002 (12 month) so they are not available for assay or analysis for this final report.

    iii) We examined 5 outcome variables for this report and found that women participating in the community groups changed at about the same level over the 4 months of group therapy as the women in the Stanford groups. This was true for depression symptoms, trauma symptoms, social support, self-efficacy, and post-traumatic-growth. These analyses are preliminary until we complete our final follow-up assessments. It is encouraging for the community groups that women benefited at the same rate as they did in the well-researched Stanford groups. Conclusions for this study are somewhat limited because we could not complete the recruitment of our entire sample. However, there is every reason to suppose that community groups are as effective at serving women with primary breast cancer as Stanford's groups though they are based on very different ideas of therapy. It is important to note that all of these groups were led by therapists, and that we may have found other results if the groups had been led by peers or other types of professionals. This study reduces the human and economic cost of breast cancer in California by validating community groups usually offered free to women with breast cancer.

    Investigator

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  • Combination Chemotherapy and Surgery in Treating Young Patients With Wilms Tumor

    This phase III trial studies how well combination chemotherapy and surgery work in treating young patients with Wilms tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy 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. Giving combination chemotherapy before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. Giving it after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery.

    Investigator

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  • Effects of Raw Versus Other Milk Sources on Lactose Digestion

    The purpose of this small, short pilot study is to determine the feasibility (e.g., recruitment, dose acceptance, retention) of a future longer trial comparing the effects of different types of milk (raw milk, cow's milk, nondairy-milk) on lactose maldigestion.

    Investigator

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  • Direct Acting Antiviral-Post Authorization Safety Study

    This is an independent optional sub-study parallel to TARGET-HCC (NCT02954094). The purpose of Direct-Acting Antiviral-Post Authorization Safety Study (DAA-PASS) is to investigate the impact of exposure to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) on early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients following successful HCC treatment interventions.

    Investigator

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  • Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of PLN-74809 in Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

    A Phase 2a, multicenter, 4-part, randomized, double-blind, dose-ranging, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and PK of once-daily treatment with PLN-74809 in participants with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

    Investigator

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  • Endurant Bifurcated and Aorto-Uni-Iliac (AUI) Stent Graft System

    To demonstrate safety and effectiveness of the Endurant Stent Graft in the treatment of Abdominal Aortic or Aorto-Uni-Iliac Aneurysms.

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  • Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Blinatumomab in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed BCR-ABL-Negative B Lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

    This randomized phase III trial studies combination chemotherapy with blinatumomab to see how well it works compared to induction chemotherapy alone in treating patients with newly diagnosed breakpoint cluster region (BCR)-c-abl oncogene 1, non-receptor tyrosine kinase (ABL)-negative B lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as blinatumomab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. It is not yet known whether combination chemotherapy is more effective with or without blinatumomab in treating newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

    Investigators

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  • Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy (CHAP) Project

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether a blood pressure treatment strategy during pregnancy to achieve targets that are recommended for non-pregnant reproductive-age adults (<140/90 mmHg) compared ACOG- recommended standard during pregnancy (no treatment unless BP is severe) is effective and safe.

    Investigator

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  • Bortezomib and Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Younger Patients With Recurrent, Refractory, or Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia

    This phase II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of bortezomib and to see how well it works when given together with combination chemotherapy in treating younger patients with recurrent, refractory, or secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Bortezomib may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as idarubicin, cytarabine, and etoposide, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) together with bortezomib may kill more cancer cells

    Investigator

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  • Determining the Efficacy of Essential Oil Aromatherapy in Children Undergoing Port Access

    The purpose of this study is to determine if the use of aromatherapy impacts patient anxiety and pain scores surrounding port access in pediatric oncology patients between the ages of 4 years and 18 years.

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  • Efficacy of a Structured Weight Loss Program in Overweight Women With a History of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

    Overweight and obesity has been associated with a number of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women of reproductive age, including infertility and early pregnancy loss. Recent data suggests that overweight and obese patients are also at increased risk of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), a devastating condition that affects 1% of the fertile population.

    The investigators propose a prospective, randomized controlled trial in which overweight and obese patients with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss are enrolled in a structured, 6 month, weight loss program or provided routine counseling regarding the importance of weight loss. Pregnancy outcomes will then be followed to assess miscarriage rates. Metabolic outcomes, such as lipid and glucose profiles, will also be evaluated.

    Investigator

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  • Cervical Sympathetic Block in Patients With Cerebral Vasospasm

    The purposes of this study are twofold: 1) to assess the effect of a cervical sympathetic block on cerebral blood flow in patients suffering from cerebral vasospasm, after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage; 2) to evaluate the effect of the sympathetic block on the recovery of the neurological function.

    Investigator

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  • Chemotherapy With or Without Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

    This randomized phase III trial studies chemotherapy to see how well it works with or without bevacizumab in treating patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that has come back (recurrent) or that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic). Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as docetaxel, cisplatin, carboplatin, and fluorouracil, 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. Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Bevacizumab may also make tumor cells more sensitive to chemotherapy and stop the growth of head and neck cancer by blocking blood flow to the tumor. It is not yet known whether combination chemotherapy is more effective when given with or without bevacizumab in treating patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

    Investigators

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  • Children and Adolescents With Marfan Syndrome: 10,000 Healthy Steps and Beyond

    Marfan patients are at risk of sudden death due to weakening of the wall of the large blood vessel leading from the heart (aorta). The wall of the aorta weakens and dilates which can rupture, leading to death, and sometimes during intense exercise.

    There is some evidence in Marfan patients that a stiffer aorta increases risk for rupture.

    For some time, clinical care has focused on what type of exercise these patients should avoid due to risk for aortic dissection. Little clinical emphasis has been placed on encouraging patients to engage in routine and safe exercise such as walking. Informed by this evidence, the investigators propose to collaboratively investigate whether regular exercise improves aortic health in adolescent Marfan patients.

    Investigator

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  • COVID-19 Outpatient Pragmatic Platform Study (COPPS) - Camostat Sub-Protocol

    The overall objective of this study is to efficiently evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of different investigational therapeutics among adults who have COVID-19 but are not yet sick enough to require hospitalization. The overall hypothesis is that through an adaptive trial design, potential effective therapies (single and combination) may be identified for this group of patients.

    COVID-19 Outpatient Pragmatic Platform Study (COPPS) is a pragmatic platform protocol designed to evaluate COVID-19 treatments by assessing their ability to reduce viral shedding (Viral Domain) or improve clinical outcomes (Clinical Domain). To be included into the platform, every investigational product will collect data for both Domain primary endpoints. Individual treatments to be evaluated in the platform will be described in separate sub-protocols.

    Investigators

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  • Breath Analysis for Evaluation of Radiation Exposure in Lung Cancer Patients Treated With Radiation

    Patients treated with radiation therapy for lung tumors can experience inflammation after treatment. This study hopes to evaluate the use of breath analysis to evaluate changes in the composition of exhaled breath in patients undergoing radiotherapy. If changes can be detected, this may ultimately serve as biomarkers for identifying patients at highest risk for radiation-induced lung injury (radiation pneumonitis).

    Investigators

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  • Depleted Donor Stem Cell Transplant in Children and Adults With Fanconi Anemia After Being Conditioned With a Regimen Containing Briquilimab

    The objective of this clinical trial is to develop a cell therapy for Fanconi Anemia which enables enhanced donor hematopoietic and immune reconstitution with decreased toxicity by transplanting depleted stem cells from a donor after using an experimental antibody treatment called JSP-191 as a part of conditioning. This experimental treatment will hopefully cause fewer side effects than chemotherapy (the current standard of care method).

    Participants will be administered the conditioning regimen, are assessed until they receive the depleted stem cell infusion, and will be followed for up to 2 years after the cell infusion.

    Investigators

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  • Exploring Nitrous Oxide Effects for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

    The purpose of this study is to understand nitrous oxide effects in post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

    Investigator

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  • Diaphragm Pacing System (DPS) In Participants With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

    The study is being conducted to determine if DPS treatment for people with ALS and hypoventilation is associated with improved survival or diaphragm function.

    The primary objective of the study is to conduct a multi-center, randomized controlled clinical trial comparing standard of care (control) to diaphragm stimulator treatment with the NeuRx® Diaphragm Pacing System™ (DPS) with respect to survival.

    The secondary objective of the study is to conduct a multi-center, randomized controlled clinical trial to compare standard of care treatment (control) to DPS in ALS subjects with hypoventilation.

    Investigators

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