Active clinical trials for "Brain Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Erlotinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Stereotactic radiosurgery may be able to deliver x-rays directly to the tumor and cause less damage to normal tissue. Erlotinib may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving erlotinib together with stereotactic radiosurgery may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I clinical trial is studying the side effects of erlotinib when given together with stereotactic radiosurgery and to see how well it works in treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential of [18F]-ML-10 to serve as a non-invasive imaging tool for the early detection of apoptosis in brain metastases in response to radiation therapy. Such early detection may improve clinical management of patients with brain metastases, as it may help early identification of non-responders, and subsequently potentially lead to optimization of radiation dose, early decision on focal irradiation of selected, non-responsive lesions, or early referral of the patient to surgery. The experimental design of the present study aims to evaluate the potential of non-invasive PET examination with [18F]-ML-10, to provide the clinician early in the course of treatment, via non-invasive molecular imaging of radiation-induced apoptosis, information on tumor responsiveness, that is currently available only several weeks to months after completion of the radiotherapy.

The standard treatment approach for patients with high-grade primary brain tumors includes maximum feasible surgical resection, followed by 6 weeks of concurrent cranial irradiation and daily low-dose temozolomide chemotherapy, followed by 12 cycles of high-dose temozolomide administered for 5 consecutive days every 4 weeks [Stupp 2005]. Contrast-enhanced MRI is the current standard for evaluating the success of therapy and monitoring for tumor recurrence. MRI is typically obtained prior to initial surgery, within 24 hours after surgery, at the conclusions of cranial irradiation, and then every 8 weeks during temozolomide chemotherapy until evidence of recurrence. Despite this careful clinical and radiographic surveillance, and despite decades of research into the histologic and molecular classification of primary brain tumors, our ability to predict tumor behavior remains very limited. Some gliomas will result in overall survival times of only months, whereas other histologically-identical gliomas may yield survivals of years to decades [Carson 2007, Curran 1993, Lamborn 2004]. Current assessment of tumor response to therapy is also poor. Patients with complete radiographic response after cranial irradiation often progress rapidly post-irradiation. In contrast, some patients with enhancing masses at the end of chemoradiotherapy may respond dramatically to further chemotherapy alone, or the masses may even disappear in the absence of further therapy (so called "tumor pseudoprogression") [Chamberlain 2007]. This confounding situation demonstrates a need for better assessment of tumor response.

This protocol is aimed at establishing a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) for submyeloablative doses of Busulfex ® with the hope that a tolerable, submyeloablative dose can be established to test efficacy as alternative therapy for refractory pediatric brain tumors.

To determine the safety of prophylaxis with Tinzaparin low molecular weight heparin in primary brain tumor patients. 2. To determine the incidence of deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism in brain tumor patients who will be receiving Tinzaparin as primary prophylaxis. 3. To determine the overall survival of patients with malignant glioma who receive Tinzaparin. 4. To determine the bone density before and after prophylactic Tinzaparin.

The purpose of this study is to determine if functional MRI is precise enough to provide information about the location of brain functions in patients who have brain tumors. This might allow physicians to use a non-invasive procedure to assist with brain mapping prior to surgery

Usually the treatment of a single brain metastasis is surgery or Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS). Surgery involves resection of the brain tumor by means of an operation, whereas SRS is treatment consisting of highly focused radiation doses to the tumor. These two treatment modalities are both widely used, well established, and proven to improve survival, but so far, no study has been done to directly compare the efficacy of one over the other. Neither treatment in itself is considered to be experimental and both have been shown to provide benefits to patients with metastatic brain tumors. The aim of this study is to determine which two modalities are better for local control and improving quality of life. Patients who consent to this study will be randomized to either receive surgery or Radiosurgery in the treatment of single brain metastases. The study seeks to recruit 12 patient to each group. Patients will be in this study for up to five years from the time of the treatment finished. This will include follow-up visits at 4 weeks after the procedure and then every 3 months after the procedure up to 5 years.

This study involves cancer research and the purpose is to assess the safety and activity of a type of vaccine as immune therapy for cancer. This vaccine will be made from each participant's own immune cells (called dendritic cells) obtained by blood donation. Dendritic cells (DCs) are immune cells whose role is to identify foreign material in the body (such as bacteria, viruses, or tumor cells). When DCs recognize this material, they use it to activate other cells of the immune system to mount an attack against that foreign material. In the Laboratory of Molecular Neuro-Oncology, each participant's DCs will be loaded with samples of their own tumor cells that were obtained at surgical resection. These tumor cells are killed in the laboratory using a special protocol, and then "fed" to the DCs. The DCs "eat" this material, and these "fed" DCs make up the vaccine.

In patients with malignant glioma, to determine the efficacy of prophylaxis with LMWH (dalteparin) compared to placebo, both commenced beyond the immediate postoperative period, for the prevention of VTE.

This trial studies different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques and their ability to provide clearer pictures of lesions in patients with high grade brain lesions. An MRI is a type of imaging scan. Using different MRI techniques to produce clearer images of the brain may help researchers learn about the features of brain lesions and the effects of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.