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. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of carmustine in treating patients who have progressive or recurrent glioblastoma multiforme.

In this trial, we will treat newly diagnosed PCNSL with temozolomide, nedaplatin, vincristine (TNV) as the replacement of high-dose methotrexate to combine with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Our objective was to assess our treatment strategies' availability based on response rates, progression-free survival (PFS), median PFS, and toxicity.

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. An autologous stem cell transplant may be able to replace blood-forming cells that were destroyed by chemotherapy. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects of giving high-dose chemotherapy together with stem cell transplant and to see how well it works in treating patients with metastatic germ cell tumors that have not responded to first-line therapy.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as hydroxyurea, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Imatinib mesylate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. It is not yet known whether hydroxyurea is more effective when given alone or together with imatinib mesylate in treating patients with meningioma. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well hydroxyurea works compared with giving hydroxyurea together with imatinib mesylate in treating patients with recurrent or progressive meningioma.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as lomustine, vincristine, and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving radiation therapy together with combination chemotherapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying giving radiation therapy together with combination chemotherapy to see how well it works in treating young patients with metastatic medulloblastoma who have undergone surgery.

RATIONALE: Pemetrexed disodium may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well pemetrexed disodium works in treating patients with recurrent malignant gliomas, primary CNS lymphoma, or brain metastases.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as lomustine, cisplatin, and vincristine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving radiation therapy followed by combination chemotherapy after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving radiation therapy followed by combination chemotherapy works in treating young patients with supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors.

RATIONALE: Photodynamic therapy uses light and photosensitizing drugs to kill tumor cells and may be an effective treatment for refractory brain tumors. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of photodynamic therapy using porfimer sodium in treating patients with refractory brain tumors, including astrocytoma, ependymoma, and medulloblastoma.

RATIONALE: Immunotoxins can locate tumor cells and kill them without harming normal cells. Immunotoxin therapy may be an effective treatment for glioblastoma multiforme and anaplastic astrocytoma. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of immunotoxin therapy in treating children who have progressive or recurrent glioblastoma multiforme or anaplastic astrocytoma

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 combination chemotherapy in treating patients who have recurrent glioblastoma multiforme.