RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation given together with carboplatin works in treating patients with stage IIIB, stage IV, or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer.

This exploratory clinical study is designed to obtain pre-therapeutic imaging assessments in 20 patients with metastatic renal cell cancer (RCC) and an early post therapy assessment at baseline and at various early time points (1 week in 5 patients, 2 weeks in 5 patients, 3 weeks in 5 patients and 4 weeks in 5 patients) after institution of standard approved sunitinib therapy at 37.5 mg/day. The clinical imaging biomarkers will include an assessment of tumor metabolism [Bannasch 1986, Frauwirth 2002, Garber 2006, Kelloff 2005, Pauwels 1998, Semenza 2001, Smith 1999, Smith 2000, Sokoloff 1977, Warburg 1956, Weber 1977A, Weber 1977B] (dynamic FDG-PET); tumor proliferation [Rasey 2002,Shields 2001, Shields 1998, Vesselle 2002, Schwartz 2003] (dynamic FLT-PET); tumor blood flow (H215O-PET, DCE MRI)[Lodge 2000], tumor perfusion (DCE-MRI)[Tofts 1999, Tofts 1997, Parker 1999]; and tumor blood volume (H215O-PET, DCE MRI)[Lodge 2000, Tofts 1999, Tofts 1997] in the same patient at baseline and then in the same patient at one of the post therapy time points (1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks or 4 weeks). We hypothesize that by using this set of imaging assessments it will be possible to determine an individual or more likely a set of imaging derived biomarkers that will accomplish several of the goals of the initiative which is providing funding for the study.

The purpose of this study is to find out what effects, good and/or bad, 2 doses of Cetuximab will have on head and neck cancer. The study is done because 250 mg/m2 given weekly does not work very well. Doses as high as 700 mg/m2 every other week appear to be no more toxic, so we will try to determine if 500 mg/m2 and 750 mg/m2 given every other week can work better. We do not know if it will help. We can use what we learn from this research study to help other people with the same disease.

This study will compare the effects, good and/or bad of chemotherapy (Gemcitabine and Cisplatin) with or without the addition of the chemotherapy drug Cetuximab to find out which treatment is better.

The purpose of this study is to find out what effects gemcitabine plus capecitabine has on patients with pancreatic or biliary cancer, and to determine the optimal dose that can be given safely of these two drugs together (called the maximum tolerated dose). Gemcitabine and capecitabine are two chemotherapy drugs used to treat pancreatic and biliary cancer. These two drugs used together are considered an acceptable standard of care for pancreatic and biliary cancers. However, in this study the dose and dosing schedule will be changed, in the hopes that the drugs will have more effect with fewer side effects than when given in the standard way.

The aim of this research project is to determine the amount of capecitabine (Xeloda) which can be given safely with PHY906 (investigational drug) on a novel schedule. It is also the aim of this research project to determine what the effects, good and/or bad, are of combining capecitabine (Xeloda) with PHY906 (investigational drug) in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. PHY906 is a powder from plants sold as a health food supplement in the United States. PHY906 has been used in China, Taiwan and other Asian countries as traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years. The other drug involved in this study, capecitabine is an oral form of chemotherapy already approved by FDA in the management of colorectal and breast cancer. Laboratory studies in animal models have shown that the combination of capecitabine and PHY906 shrinks liver cancer, and a pilot clinical study is currently evaluating this combination in patients with liver cancer to define the benefit. PHY906 has also shown to decrease diarrhea related to chemotherapy in a small study performed in patients with colon cancer treated at the Yale Cancer Center. Our recent laboratory studies have also shown that the combination of capecitabine and PHY906 also shrink pancreatic tumors in mouse models. This prompted us to test the combination of capecitabine and PHY906 in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer to assess the benefit in survival as well as any decrease in side effects, such as diarrhea caused by capecitabine.

Primary Objectives:

• To determine the feasibility, activity, and toxicity of a novel regimen using a concurrent irinotecan (CPT-11)/cisplatin and celecoxib combination for patients with unresectable NSCLC.
• To determine the maximal tolerance dose of celecoxib in patients with unresectable NSCLC treated with irinotecan/cisplatin and concurrent thoracic radiation therapy.
• To correlate the COX-2 expression and other biomarkers with response to the treatment in the tumor from a pretreatment biopsy specimen.

The primary purpose of this study is to define the maximum tolerated dose of combination docetaxel, gemcitabine, and capecitabine in patients with pancreatic cancer. Adverse effects will be measured in study participants. In addition, researchers will assess data about preliminary efficacy in patients with this treatment approach.