Active clinical trials for "Central Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy such as methotrexate and temozolomide use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Monoclonal antibodies such as rituximab can locate cancer cells and either kill them or deliver cancer-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage cancer cells. Combining methotrexate, temozolomide, and rituximab with radiation therapy may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of temozolomide when given together with methotrexate and rituximab followed by radiation therapy and to see how well they work in treating patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining carmustine and O6-benzylguanine in treating patients who have recurrent or progressive glioma.

RATIONALE: COL-3 may stop the growth of brain tumors by stopping blood flow to the tumor. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of COL-3 in treating patients who have progressive or recurrent brain tumors following radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of temozolomide plus irinotecan in treating patients who have recurrent malignant glioma.

RATIONALE: Tipifarnib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for tumor cell growth. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of tipifarnib in treating patients who have recurrent or progressive malignant glioma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. Inserting a specific gene into a person's peripheral stem cells may improve the body's ability to fight cancer or make the cancer more sensitive to chemotherapy. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy plus gene therapy in treating patients who have CNS tumors.

RATIONALE: Bispecific antibodies plus white blood cells may be able to locate tumor cells and either kill them or deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combining bispecific antibodies with white blood cells in treating patients who have recurrent or refractory glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: 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. Thalidomide may stop the growth of glioblastoma multiforme by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Isotretinoin may help cells that are involved in the body's immune response to work better. Celecoxib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. It is not yet known which temozolomide-containing regimen is more effective in treating glioblastoma multiforme. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying eight different temozolomide-containing regimens to compare how well they work in treating patients who have undergone radiation therapy for glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving chemotherapy with peripheral stem cell or bone marrow transplant may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy drugs and kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well thiotepa followed by peripheral stem cell or bone marrow transplant works in treating patients with malignant glioma.

RATIONALE: Interferon alfa may interfere with the growth of cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of interferon alfa in treating patients with recurrent unresectable meningiomas and malignant meningiomas.