Combination Chemotherapy Plus Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Brain Stem Glioma
Brain Tumors, Central Nervous System Tumors
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Brain Tumors focused on measuring untreated childhood brain stem glioma
Eligibility Criteria
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Newly diagnosed diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioma by MRI Biopsy is neither necessary nor encouraged A least two-thirds of the tumor is in the pons Origin of the tumor is clearly in the pons Must be registered within 28 days of diagnosis Clinical history less than 6 months duration (cranial nerve deficit, long tract signs, or ataxia) No diffuse leptomeningeal disease PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 3 to 21 Performance status: Karnofsky or Lansky 50-100% Life expectancy: At least 6 weeks Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm3 Platelet count at least 75,000/mm3 Hepatic: SGPT less than 2 times normal Renal: Creatinine normal for age OR Creatinine clearance greater than 70 mL/min PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No prior biologic therapy Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy No other concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Prior steroids at stable or decreasing doses allowed Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified Other: No other concurrent investigational agents
Sites / Locations
- University of Alabama Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Arizona Cancer Center
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
- University of California San Diego Cancer Center
- Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford
- Sutter Cancer Center
- Kaiser Permanente-Southern California Permanente Medical Group
- Naval Medical Center - San Diego
- Kaiser Permanente Medical Center - Santa Clara
- Nemours Children's Clinic
- Sylvester Cancer Center, University of Miami
- Baptist Hospital of Miami
- Walt Disney Memorial Cancer Institute
- St. Mary's Hospital
- Emory University Hospital - Atlanta
- Tripler Army Medical Center
- Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center
- Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago
- Christ Hospital
- Saint Jude Midwest Affiliate
- University of Kansas Medical Center
- Via Christi Regional Medical Center-Saint Francis Campus
- Tulane University School of Medicine
- Eastern Maine Medical Center
- Maine Children's Cancer Program
- Johns Hopkins Oncology Center
- Floating Hospital for Children
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
- Children's Hospital of Michigan
- St. John's Hospital and Medical Center
- Hurley Medical Center
- University of Mississippi Medical Center
- Keesler Medical Center - Keesler AFB
- University of Missouri-Columbia Hospital and Clinics
- Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital
- Washington University School of Medicine
- Norris Cotton Cancer Center
- Hackensack University Medical Center
- University of New Mexico School of Medicine
- Roswell Park Cancer Institute
- State University of New York Health Sciences Center - Stony Brook
- State University of New York - Upstate Medical University
- Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Oklahoma Memorial Hospital
- Natalie Warren Bryant Cancer Center
- Medical University of South Carolina
- James H. Quillen College of Medicine
- Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Medical City Dallas Hospital
- Simmons Cancer Center - Dallas
- Cook Children's Medical Center - Fort Worth
- University of Texas Medical Branch
- Baylor College of Medicine
- San Antonio Military Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- Scott and White Clinic
- Vermont Cancer Center
- Inova Fairfax Hospital
- Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
- Madigan Army Medical Center
- West Virginia University Medical School, Charleston Division
- West Virginia University Hospitals
- St. Vincent Hospital
- Midwest Children's Cancer Center
- Alberta Children's Hospital
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
- Hospital for Sick Children
- Montreal Children's Hospital
- Hopital Sainte Justine
- Centre Hospitalier de L'Universite Laval
- Academisch Ziekenhuis Groningen
- San Jorge Childrens Hospital
- Clinique de Pediatrie
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Experimental
Stratum 1
Concomitant irradiation and vincristine sulfate in esc dose beginning with 0.8 mg/m2, etoposide and Cyclosporine A given over 6 weeks, then monthly maint courses over 6 mths, with no clinical and radiologic progression. Stable disease indicates continuation of therapy. Clinical deterioration within 4 months of completion of radiation therapy must be confirmed to be PD by imaging. Clinical progression even in the absence of imaging changes will be accepted as reflecting disease progression. Steroids dexamethasone (Decadron) given as clinically indicated and tapered as tolerated. Steroids may decrease capillary permeability to chemotherapeutic agents and antagonise the effect of cyclosporin A. Also contributes to the syndrome of seizures and white matter changes seen with cyclosporine in the post BMT period. If steroid use is required, the recommended schedule of Decadron dosing during the 6 week induction course is 8 mg/m2 divided q 6-8 hours.