Active clinical trials for "Central Nervous System Neoplasms"

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

RATIONALE: Erlotinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide and carmustine, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. It is not yet known whether erlotinib is more effective than temozolomide or carmustine in treating recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying erlotinib to see how well it works compared to temozolomide or carmustine in treating patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme.

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 chemotherapy drug with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy plus radiation therapy in treating patients who have newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: Radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies can locate tumor cells and deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. This may be an effective treatment for some types of brain tumors. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of radiolabeled monoclonal antibody in treating patients who have glioblastoma multiforme or anaplastic astrocytoma.

RATIONALE: Biological therapies use different ways to stimulate the immune system and stop cancer cells from growing. Combining different types of biological therapies may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of biological therapy following surgery and radiation therapy in treating patients who have primary or recurrent astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Peripheral stem cell transplantation may allow doctors to give higher doses of radiation therapy and chemotherapy and kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of radiation therapy, chemotherapy and peripheral stem cell transplantation in treating patients with primitive neuroectodermal tumors.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells and may be an effective treatment for patients with glioma. Stereotactic radiation therapy may be able to deliver x-rays directly to the tumor and cause less damage to normal tissue. It is not yet known if standard radiation therapy is more effective when followed by stereotactic radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of standard radiation therapy with or without stereotactic radiation therapy in treating patients who have glioma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of ecteinascidin 743 in treating patients who have advanced soft tissue sarcoma.

RATIONALE: Suramin may stop the growth of glioblastoma multiforme by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining suramin with radiation therapy may be a more effective treatment for glioblastoma multiforme. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of suramin plus radiation therapy in treating patients who have newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: Inserting the gene for p53 into a person's brain cells may improve the body's ability to fight cancer. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of p53 gene therapy with SCH-58500 in treating patients who have recurrent, or progressive glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, or anaplastic mixed glioma that can be removed during surgery.