Methylphenidate to Improve Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Brain Tumors
Brain and Central Nervous System Tumors, Cognitive/Functional Effects, Depression
About this trial
This is an interventional supportive care trial for Brain and Central Nervous System Tumors focused on measuring fatigue, depression, quality of life, cognitive/functional effects, recurrent adult brain tumor, adult brain stem glioma, adult glioblastoma, adult tumors metastatic to brain, adult anaplastic astrocytoma, adult anaplastic oligodendroglioma, adult mixed glioma, adult meningioma, adult anaplastic ependymoma, adult myxopapillary ependymoma, adult ependymoblastoma, adult pilocytic astrocytoma, adult subependymoma, adult grade III meningioma, adult giant cell glioblastoma, adult gliosarcoma, adult grade II meningioma
Eligibility Criteria
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed metastatic brain tumor OR Histologically confirmed primary brain tumor Glioblastoma multiforme Anaplastic astrocytoma Anaplastic oligodendroglioma Anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma Low-grade glioma Meningioma Ependymoma Planned external beam cranial radiotherapy (partial or whole brain) with a total dose of at least 25 Gy in at least 10 fractions of 180-300 cGy each PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100% Life expectancy: At least 3 months Hematopoietic: WBC ≥ 1,500/mm^3 Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm^3 Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Not specified Cardiovascular: No hypertension or other cardiovascular disease requiring antihypertensives and/or other cardiovascular medications Other: Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No other serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study participation No hypersensitivity to study drug No history of steroid psychosis No family history of or active Tourette's Syndrome No prior or active glaucoma PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: Prior or concurrent chemotherapy allowed Endocrine therapy: Concurrent steroids allowed Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics Prior radiotherapy allowed except to brain (including stereotactic radiosurgery) No concurrent craniospinal axis radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified Other: No prior or concurrent medications for attention deficit disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, or substance abuse No concurrent anti-depressants
Sites / Locations
- CCOP - Western Regional, Arizona
- CCOP - Central Illinois
- MBCCOP - LSU Health Sciences Center
- CCOP - Southeast Cancer Control Consortium
- Comprehensive Cancer Center at Wake Forest University
- CCOP - Columbus
- CCOP - Upstate Carolina