Active clinical trials for "Astrocytoma"

The purpose of this non-randomized, open-label, multicenter, Phase II, 2-stage design, RESCUE study is to test the hypothesis that continuous 28-day oral dosing (28/28) with dose-intense temozolomide (50 mg/m^2) for up to 12 months may overcome resistance and be effective in the management of adult patients with malignant glioma who have failed following at least 2 cycles (2 months) of conventional 5-day (5/28) cycles of high-dose temozolomide (150-200 mg/m^2).

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of azurin-derived cell-penetrating peptide p28 (p28) in treating patients with recurrent or progressive central nervous system tumors. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as azurin-derived cell-penetrating peptide p28, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing.

High Grade Gliomas, including anaplastic astrocytomas, anaplastic oligodendrogliomas and glioblastomas (GBM), are the most common and most aggressive primary brain tumors. Prognosis for patients with high-grade gliomas remains poor. The estimated median survival for patients with GBM is between 12 to 18 months. Recurrence after initial therapy with temozolomide and radiation is nearly universal. Since May 2009, the majority of patients in the US with an initial recurrence of high-grade glioma receive bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is thought to prevent angiogenesis in these highly vascular tumors. BEV has response rates from 32-62% and has improved overall median survival in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas1. However, the response is short lived, and nearly 100% of patients eventually progress despite bevacizumab. No chemotherapeutic agent administered following progression through bevacizumab has made a significant impact on survival. Patients progress to death within 1-5 months after resistance develops. Therefore, patients with high-grade gliomas who have progressed through bevacizumab represent a population in dire need of a feasible and tolerable treatment. NKTR-102 is a topoisomerase I inhibitor polymer conjugate that was engineered by attaching irinotecan molecules to a polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymer using a biodegradable linker. Irinotecan released from NKTR-102 following administration is further metabolized to the active metabolite, 7-ethyl-10-hydroxy-camptothecin (SN38), that causes DNA damage through inhibition of topoisomerase. The goal in designing NKTR-102 was to attenuate or eliminate some of the limiting side effects of irinotecan while improving efficacy by modifying the distribution of the agent within the body. The size and structure of NKTR-102 results in marked alteration in pharmacokinetic (PK) profile for the SN38 derived from NKTR-102 compared to that following irinotecan: the maximal plasma concentration (Cmax) is reduced 5- to 10-fold and the half-life (t1/2 ) of SN38 is increased from 2 days to approximately 50 days. This altered profile leads to constant exposure of the tumor to the active drug. In addition, the large NKTR-102 molecule does not freely pass out of intact vasculature, which may account for relatively higher concentrations of the compound and the active metabolites in tumor tissues in in vivo models, where the local vasculature may be relatively more permeable. A 145 mg/m2 dose of NKTR-102, the dose intended for use in this phase II clinical trial (and being used in the phase III clinical program), results in approximately the same plasma exposure to SN38 as a 350 mg/m2 dose of irinotecan, but exposure is protracted, resulting in continuous exposure between dosing cycles and lower Cmax. NKTR-102 was therefore developed as a new chemotherapeutic agent that may improve the clinical outcomes of patients.

The study aims to optimize the treatment of elderly subjects (> 65) with anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma. Current treatment policies tend to be no more than palliative. There is no consensus as to how radical the surgery should be. Involved-field radiotherapy is the treatment most likely to be accepted apart from supportive and palliative measures. The role of chemotherapy is barely defined. Study data available to date does not suggest that this patient population would benefit from combined radiochemotherapy. The aim of the study is to verify the hypothesis that first-line chemotherapy with one week on/one week off temozolomide is not inferior to extended-field radiotherapy in the first-line treatment of anaplastic astrocytoma and glioblastoma in the elderly (> 65 age group). The primary endpoint is median survival, as life expectancy is limited to several months. Secondary endpoints are response rates in both arms (CR, PR, MacDonald et al. 1990), median progression-free survival, 1-year and 2-year survival rates, definition of MGMT as molecular genetic prognostic or predictive markers, and quality of life. Theoretically, it should be possible to preserve quality of life in the first-line chemotherapy arm of the study.

This is an open-label, sequential dose exploration study of single agent AMG 595 administered in subjects with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and/or anaplastic astrocytomas (AA). The purpose of the study is to evaluate safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of AMG 595, and also to evaluate the objective response rate in subjects receiving AMG 595. This study will be conducted in two parts. Part 1 will explore doses of AMG 595 in subjects with recurrent GBM and/or AA. Part 2 (dose expansion) will examine the MTD established in Part 1 in subjects with recurrent GBM.

This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of AZD2171 in treating young patients with recurrent, progressive, or refractory primary CNS tumors. AZD2171 may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth and by blocking blood flow to the tumor.

This Phase 1 study in patients with newly diagnosed malignant glioma is designed to determine the highest dose of IL13-PE38QQR that can be safely administered by Convection Enhanced Delivery (CED) to the area around the tumor site after the tumor is surgically removed (resection). In addition, the patient will receive radiation therapy and may or may not be treated with oral temozolomide.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of stereotactic radiosurgery in treating patients who have brain tumors.

Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of erlotinib in treating patients who have metastatic or unresectable solid tumors and liver or kidney dysfunction. Biological therapies such as erlotinib may interfere with the growth of tumor cells and slow the growth of the tumor

RATIONALE: Biological therapies such as gefitinib may interfere with the growth of tumor cells and slow the growth of CNS tumors. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of gefitinib in treating patients who have recurrent or progressive CNS tumors.