Active clinical trials for "Brain Neoplasms"

Primary and secondary brain tumors are challenging pathologies regarding diagnosis and treatment. MRI is widely used in the imaging evaluation and surgical planning, due to its spatial resolution and ability of tissular characterization. In this study patients with suspected brain tumors, confirmed by routine MRI evaluation (T1, T2, T2*, FLAIR, T1 with contrast sequences) will undergo DWI and DTI evaluation. By analyzing collected data from MRI evaluation and patient records regarding surgical and histopathological data our aim is to investigate derived imaging biomarkers with impact in the surgical planning and rehabilitation of the patients.

The purpose of this protocol is to create a repository of blood samples from patients diagnosed with primary and metastatic brain tumors who are being seen in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Duke Cancer Center.

The purpose of this research study is to collect and store brain tumor tissue samples for future research. The samples will become part of the University of Florida Brain Tumor Tissue Bank/Florida Center for Brain Tumor Research. The goal is to find improved treatments and cures for brain tumors.

Background: Brain and spinal cord tumors are uncommon. But they contribute substantially to cancer deaths in the U.S. in children and adults. Little progress has been made in treating brain tumors. Researchers want to learn more about these tumors by studying people who have them. Objectives: To understand brain and spinal cord tumors better and uncover areas for further research. Also, to connect people with these tumors to doctors who can help them manage their illness and give them new treatment options. Design: Participants will have an initial (baseline) visit. They will have their medical history taken and undergo physical and neurological exams. They will have blood tests. They may have scans (imaging studies) of the nervous system. If participants have urine or cerebrospinal fluid collected during their regular care, researchers may save some. Brain tumor tissue from a prior surgery may be studied. Genomic DNA testing will be done on samples. Results will be linked to participants medical and/or family history. The number of study visits at NIH will depend on the wishes of participants and their local doctors. Participants will take a brain tumor survey on a computer. They can take it all at once or in 6 separate sections. Participants will answer questions about their general well-being. They will answer questions to learn if they have symptoms of depression or anxiety. Physicians will discuss test results with participants. They will recommend management and treatment options.

Purpose of the study: AIM 1 Prospectively collect pre-operative (fMRI, DTI, MEG) and intra-operative mapping data in patients with intra-axial brain tumors to assess how well each modality predicts the location of eloquent brain function. In addition, each modality will be compared with the other. AIM 2 Assess reorganization of eloquent brain function and plasticity in patients with intra-axial brain tumors. This will be accomplished by prospectively collecting post-operative mapping studies and neuropsychological tests to compare them to prior mapping studies as stated above.

This project is being done to induce remapping of functional cortex in patients with invasive gliomas to enable a greater extent of resection of invasive gliomas while minimizing the risk of a permanent neurological deficit. Adult diffuse gliomas, or the type of gliomas that are being targeted in this study, are not generally curable by surgery; however, life expectancy is generally believed to be increased by resecting more of the tumor. Because surgeons cannot resect all the tumor when it invades certain parts of the brain that are primarily responsible for language or movement, the investigators are attempting to see if they can electrically inactivate those parts of the brain with tumor in it so it can be resected in a subsequent surgery.

The goal of this study is to test a psychosocial intervention called ASCENT (ACT-based Supportive intervention for patients with CENTral nervous system tumors). This intervention was developed to help patients after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. The main question this study aims to answer is whether this intervention is feasible (i.e., possible to carry out) and acceptable (i.e., considered helpful) to patients. Participants will be asked to take part in 6 coaching sessions and complete short surveys at four different time points. Some participants will be asked to share feedback via interviews.

This is a pilot project to explore the utility of PET-MRI in the post-treatment surveillance of high-grade gliomas or medulloblastomas in children in our institution.

An intracranial tumor, is an abnormal mass of tissue in which cells grow and multiply uncontrollably, seemingly unchecked by the mechanisms that control normal cells. More than 150 different brain tumors have been documented, but the two main groups of brain tumors are termed primary and metastatic. Primary brain tumors include tumors that originate from the tissues of the brain or the brain's immediate surroundings. Metastatic brain tumors include tumors that arise elsewhere in the body (such as the breast or lungs) and migrate to the brain, usually through the bloodstream Barbiturates, Thiopental and pentobarbital decrease CBF, cerebral blood volume (CBV), and ICP. The reduction in ICP with these drugs is related to the reduction in CBF and CBV coupled with metabolic depression. These drugs will also have these effects in patients who have impaired CO2 response. Etomidate, as with barbiturates, etomidate reduces CBF, CMRo2, and ICP. Systemic hypotension occurs less frequently than with barbiturates. Prolonged use of etomidate may suppress the adrenocortical response to stress. Dexmedetomidine as an anesthetic adjuvant improved hemodynamic stability and decreased anesthetic requirements in patients undergoing resection for brain tumors. In addition, DEX provided better surgical field exposure conditions and early recovery from anesthesia. Narcotics, in clinical doses, narcotics produce a minimal to moderate decrease in CBF and CMRo2. When ventilation is adequately maintained, narcotics probably have minimal effects on ICP. Despite its small ICP-elevating effect, fentanyl provides satisfactory analgesia and permits the use of lower concentrations of inhalational anaesthetics

There are currently no visual rehabilitation strategies for children presenting visual field defects consecutive to a brain tumor or its treatment. This study seeks to investigate the use of a home-based stimulation visual rehabilitation program using immerse-virtual reality (IVR) in children aged 4-10 years old with a diagnosis of hemianopia