Neuroendocrine Tumor clinical trials at UCLA

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of modified immune cells (IL13Ralpha2 CAR T cells) after a chemotherapy conditioning regimen for the treatment of patients with stage IIIC or IV melanoma. The study agent is called IL13Ralpha2 CAR T cells. T cells are a special type of white blood cell (immune cells) that have the ability to kill tumor cells. The T cells are obtained from the patients own blood, grown in a laboratory, and modified by adding the IL13Ralpha2 CAR gene. The IL13Ralpha2 CAR gene is inserted into T cells with a virus called a lentivirus. The lentivirus allows cells to make the IL13Ralpha2 CAR protein. This CAR has been designed to bind to a protein on the surface of tumor cells called IL13Ralpha2. This study is being done to determine the dose at which the gene-modified immune cells are safe, how long the cells stay in the body, and if the cells are able to attack the cancer.

This exploratory study investigates how an imaging technique called 68Ga-FAPi-46 PET/CT can determine where and to which degree the FAPI tracer (68Ga-FAPi-46) accumulates in normal and cancer tissues in patients with cancer. Because some cancers take up 68Ga-FAPi-46 it can be seen with PET. FAP stands for Fibroblast Activation Protein. FAP is produced by cells that surround tumors (cancer associated fibroblasts). The function of FAP is not well understood but imaging studies have shown that FAP can be detected with FAPI PET/CT. Imaging FAP with FAPI PET/CT may in the future provide additional information about various cancers.

This is a prospective observational multi-center pilot study of germline testing for participants receiving care at University of California participating locations with a new or existing diagnosis of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (PanNEN). This protocol is an extension of existing Genetic Testing Station efforts at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)