Active clinical trials for "Ependymoma"

This study will evaluate the administration of AdV-tk followed by valacyclovir in children with malignant glioma, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and anaplastic astrocytoma (AA), as well as recurrent ependymomas in combination with radiation therapy. The primary objective is to determine if this approach is safe and can be effectively delivered without disturbing standard therapy.

This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of oxaliplatin when given together with irinotecan in treating young patients with refractory solid tumors or lymphomas. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin and irinotecan, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Oxaliplatin may help irinotecan kill more cancer cells by making cancer cells more sensitive to the drug. Giving oxaliplatin together with irinotecan may kill more cancer cells.

Phase I trial to study the safety of combining O6-benzylguanine with temozolomide in treating children who have recurrent or refractory brain tumors. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. O6-benzylguanine may increase the effectiveness of temozolomide by making tumor cells more sensitive to the drug.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining more than one drug or combining chemotherapy with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy in treating patients who have surgically resected, newly diagnosed medulloblastoma or supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor, or incompletely resected ependymoma.

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of expanded natural killer cells in treating younger patients with brain tumors that have come back or do not respond to treatment. Infusing a particular type of a patient's own white blood cells called natural killer cells that have been through a procedure to expand (increase) their numbers may work in treating patients with recurrent/refractory brain tumors.

The goal of this clinical research study is to establish the safety of direct administration of 5-Azacytidine into the fourth ventricle of the brain or resection cavity in patients with recurrent posterior fossa ependymoma.

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well bevacizumab works in treating patients with recurrent or progression meningiomas.

Background: - An experimental drug called ABT-888 has been studied in combination with temozolomide (a type of chemotherapy) in adults who have certain kinds of cancer. ABT-88 has been shown to increase tumor sensitivity to temozolomide and improve treatment outcomes in people who have cancer. More research is needed to determine if this combination of drugs will work well as an effective treatment for children who have brain tumors. This will be the first time this combination has been studied in pediatric patients. Objectives: To determine the maximum doses of ABT-888 and temozolomide when given in combination in children with brain tumors. To learn how children metabolize and clear ABT-888 from their bodies so that appropriate doses of this medication can be recommended for future clinical trials of this drug. To learn what side effects may occur when ABT-888 and temozolomide are given together. To learn how certain tumors respond to this combination of drugs by studying the characteristics of these tumors in a laboratory. Eligibility: - Individuals less than 21 years of age who have been diagnosed with a cancer of the nervous system (including brain and brain stem tumors) that has not responded to standard therapy. Design: Before beginning the study, participants will have a full medical history and physical examination, and may also be required to have scans of the brain and spine or provide samples of cerebrospinal fluid. Treatment will consist of up to 13 28-day cycles of therapy, for a total of 52 weeks (1 year). Participants will receive a dose of ABT-888 twice daily for 5 days, and will receive a dose of temozolomide once daily for 5 days, every 28 days. The morning dose of ABT-888 will be given 60-90 minutes before the dose of temozolomide. Participants will have routine blood tests at least once a week throughout the treatment cycles, and will have scans of the brain and spine performed as required by the researchers.

This phase I clinical trial is studying the side effects and best dose of giving gamma-secretase inhibitor RO4929097 and cediranib maleate together in treating patients with advanced solid tumors. Gamma-secretase inhibitor RO4929097 and cediranib maleate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Cediranib maleate also may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor.

This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of lenalidomide in treating young patients with recurrent, progressive, or refractory CNS tumors. Lenalidomide may stop the growth of CNS tumors by blocking blood flow to the tumor. It may also stimulate the immune system in different ways and stop tumor cells from growing.