Active clinical trials for "Central Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Perfusion magnetic resonance imaging may be an effective method of measuring the growth of blood vessels in brain tumors. These measurements may help doctors better diagnose and treat brain tumors. PURPOSE: Pilot study to determine the effectiveness of perfusion magnetic resonance imaging in measuring the growth of blood vessels in newly diagnosed brain tumors.

RATIONALE: Genetic studies may help in understanding the genetic processes involved in the development of some types of cancer. PURPOSE: Genetic study to understand how genes may be involved in the development of brain tumors in young children.

Background: The number of people who get tumors of the brain or central nervous system (CNS) is lower than other cancers. But these tumors cause a higher rate of serious effects and even death. Researchers want to test existing samples of tissue from these tumors to learn more about them. This may lead to better treatment. Objective: To study stored samples of CNS tumors to learn more about the tumors and explore new ways to diagnose them. Eligibility: The study will use tissue samples already collected at NIH from people with brain or CNS tumors. Design: The participants will have given their consent in a previous study. Researchers will review the tissue samples and any data collected about them. Researchers will do lab tests and scans on the samples. All data will be kept secure.

Surgery is the cornerstone treatment of most pediatric CNS tumors, including astrocytomas, ependymomas, medulloblastomas, and many other pathologies. In most pediatric CNS tumors, the aim of surgery is maximal tumor resection, while preserving neurological function. Extent of tumor residual has been shown to be a major prognostic factor for progression free survival (PFS), and survival in several malignant and low-grade tumors such as medulloblastomas, ependymomas, and astrocytic tumors. 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) has been shown to be valuable in intraoperative marking of various cancers. Following oral admission, during surgery, the tumor tissue is illuminated by blue light. Tumor cells tend to metabolize 5-ALA to a porphyrin named protoporhyrin IX (PpIX). PpIX reacts with the blue light and emits a pinky color (- fluorescence). This enables the surgeon to better identify tumor cells and perform a more extensive resection. Over recent years, many studies have proven the efficacy using 5-ALA for resecting various intracranial and spinal tumors, thus achieving a better tumor control. In the suggested study, we propose using the same technique for various pediatric central nervous system tumors. We will focus on the correlation between various pathologies and the fluorescence, trying to deduce the role of 5-ALA in resection of specific pathologies. Also, we will study the safety of 5-ALA use in the pediatric population.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving high-dose radiation therapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying radiation therapy to see how well it works in treating patients who have undergone surgery for newly diagnosed grade II or grade III meningioma.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Tamoxifen may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Giving radiation therapy together with temozolomide, tamoxifen, and carboplatin may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects and how well giving radiation therapy together with temozolomide, tamoxifen, and carboplatin works in treating patients with malignant gliomas.

RATIONALE: Studying blood samples from cancer patients undergoing pain treatment in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about how pain drugs work in the body. It may also help doctors predict how patients will respond to treatment. PURPOSE: This research study is looking at fentanyl in patients with cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving radiation therapy after chemotherapy may kill any remaining tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy together with or without radiation therapy works in treating children with brain tumors.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as methotrexate, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well high-dose methotrexate works in treating young patients with residual ependymoma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving cisplatin together with temozolomide works in treating young patients with malignant glioma.