Active clinical trials for "Ependymoma"

RATIONALE: Gathering information about how young patients with ependymoma respond to standard combination chemotherapy and learning about the long-term effects of this treatment may help doctors plan better treatment. PURPOSE: This phase III trial is observing young patients with ependymoma undergoing standard combination chemotherapy.

This is a phase II study evaluating the feasibility of concurrent carboplatin given with focal radiation therapy in children age 12 months to < 21 years with newly diagnosed localized ependymoma who have no or minimal residual disease post-operatively (< 0.5 cm). The hypothesis is that utilizing carboplatin as a radiosensitizer is feasible and tolerable and may improve event-free survival (EFS) and minimize local recurrences as compared to historic controls. Following a neurosurgical resection and staging, patients who meet the eligibility criteria will receive standard fractionated radiation therapy at doses of 54 to 59.4 Gy to the primary site depending upon age. All patients will receive 35 mg/m²/day of carboplatin prior to each fraction of radiotherapy. Although significant neutropenia is not anticipated, G-CSF will be administered per study guidelines during radiation if neutropenia occurs. All patients will be followed for toxicity, response (resolution of residual disease) and event-free survival (EFS). Patients' tumor sample, blood and cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) will also be prospectively evaluated to quantify the level of Survivin, a known inhibitor of apoptosis, via immunohistochemistry, Western Blot Analysis (in tumor tissue) and ELISA (in blood and CSF). The feasibility of obtaining these levels prospectively and in real time will be evaluated.

This pilot clinical trial studies advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in measuring treatment response in patients with high-grade glioma. New diagnostic procedures, such as advanced MRI techniques at 3 Tesla, may be more effective than standard MRI in measuring treatment response in patients receiving treatment for high-grade gliomas.

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of alisertib when combined with fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery in treating patients with high-grade gliomas that have returned after previous treatment with radiation therapy (recurrent). Alisertib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking an enzyme needed for the cells to divide. Radiation therapy uses high energy x rays to kill tumor cells. Stereotactic radiosurgery uses special positioning equipment to send a single high dose of radiation directly to the tumor and cause less damage to normal tissue. Delivering stereotactic radiosurgery over multiple doses (fractionation) may cause more damage to tumor tissue than normal tissue while maintaining the advantage of its accuracy.

This clinical trial is using EF5 to measure the oxygen level in tumor cells of patients undergoing surgery or surgery biopsy for newly diagnosed supratentorial malignant glioma. Diagnostic procedures using the drug EF5 to measure the oxygen level in tumor cells may help in planning cancer treatment

This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of vorinostat when given together with temozolomide in treating young patients with relapsed or refractory primary brain tumors or spinal cord tumors. Vorinostat may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Vorinostat may help temozolomide work better by making tumor cells more sensitive to the drug.

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if the combination of bevacizumab and carboplatin can help to control recurrent ependymoma. The safety of this drug combination will also be studied.

This is a single center Phase I study to determine the safety and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of autologous dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with allogeneic brain tumor stem cells administered as a vaccination in children and adults with recurrent brain tumors. Once the MTD has been determined, we will conduct a phase II study to determine efficacy. Clinical trials that utilize DCs for immunotherapy have demonstrated significant survival benefit for patients who exhibit robust immune responses against tumor cells. Unfortunately, at the present time the majority of tumor patients are unable to mount an adequate immune response and thus succumb to their tumors. We postulate that the inability to generate an appropriate immune response in these patients is due to a lack of sufficient numbers of appropriate T cells due to an inadequate source of tumor antigens.

This phase II trial is studying how well giving bevacizumab together with irinotecan works in treating young patients with recurrent, progressive, or refractory glioma, medulloblastoma, ependymoma, or low grade glioma. 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. Bevacizumab may also stop the growth of glioma by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as irinotecan, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving bevacizumab together with irinotecan may kill more tumor cells.

This phase II trial studies how well sunitinib malate works in treating younger patients with recurrent, refractory, or progressive malignant glioma or ependymoma. Sunitinib malate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.