Active clinical trials for "Astrocytoma"

The primary purpose of this phase II clinical trial is to determine the safety and effect on survival of patients autologous dendritic cells pulsed with autologous tumor lysate as a treatment for low-grade glioma patients. Other goals of this study are to determine if the vaccine can cause an immune response against patients' cancer cells and slow the growth of their brain tumors

This phase I/II trial studies the side effects and the best dose of veliparib when given together with radiation therapy and temozolomide and to see how well they work in treating younger patients newly diagnosed with diffuse pontine gliomas. Veliparib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x rays to kill tumor cells. 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. Giving veliparib with radiation therapy and temozolomide may kill more tumor cells.

Background: - Children who are diagnosed with brain tumors known as high grade gliomas or diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas are generally treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. However, these tumors are very difficult to cure, and the tumor frequently begins to grow again even after treatment or surgery. Researchers are interested in determining whether the anticancer drug lenalidomide, which has been used to treat other aggressive types of cancer, is a safe and effective additional treatment for children who are scheduled to receive radiation therapy to treat high grade gliomas or diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas. Objectives: - To determine the safety and effectiveness of lenalidomide, in conjunction with radiation therapy, as a treatment for children who have been diagnosed with high grade gliomas or diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas. Eligibility: - Children and adolescents up to 21 years of age who have been diagnosed with high grade gliomas or diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas and have not had radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Design: Participants will be screened with a medical history, physical examination, blood and urine tests, and imaging studies. Participants will have two phases of treatment: a lenalidomide plus radiation phase and a lenalidomide-only phase. During the radiation phase, participants will take lenalidomide daily and have 6 weeks of radiation therapy (five treatments per week). After the radiation therapy, participants will stop taking lenalidomide for 2 weeks before continuing to the next phase. During the lenalidomide-only phase, participants will take lenalidomide daily for 21 days, followed by 7 days without lenalidomide (28-day cycle of treatment). Participants will have up to 24 cycles of lenalidomide. Participants will have frequent blood tests during the first cycle of treatment, and will have imaging studies or other tests as required by the study researchers. Treatment will continue until the disease progresses, the participant chooses to leave the study, or the researchers end the study.

RATIONALE: Genetically-modified neural stem cells (NSCs) that convert 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) into the chemotherapy agent 5-FU (fluorouracil) at sites of tumor in the brain may be an effective treatment for glioma. PURPOSE: This clinical trial studies genetically-modified NSCs and 5-FC in patients undergoing surgery for recurrent high-grade gliomas.

In order to test the investigators hypothesis that 8 teaspoons of POLYMVA is safe in a population of patients with grade IV brain astrocytoma (glioblastoma multiforme), the investigators will conduct an open-label, prospective, un-blinded study. The investigators expect that at least 70% of subjects will tolerate the supplement and complete the trial. The investigators expect no Serious Adverse Event to occur during this trial which is attributable to study compound. During this study, the investigators will also collect other qualitative data to be utilized for future double-blinded studies which will be aimed at determining whether grade IV astrocytoma patients who receive PolyMVA achieve a better quality of life during their chemo-therapeutic regimens versus grade IV astrocytoma patients who do not receive PolyMVA.

The purpose of this study is to test the safety and effects of a special type of a cancer vaccine called a 'dendritic cell vaccine' in patients with either newly diagnosed or recurrent glioblastoma. The goal of this dendritic cell vaccine is to activate a patient's own immune system against their tumor. This study utilizes a patient's own immune-stimulating dendritic cells that are isolated in a procedure called leukapheresis. In a laboratory, these dendritic cells are treated in a way that is designed to promote an immune response against cancer stem cells. Then the dendritic cells are injected under the skin in a series of vaccinations, with the goal of activating an immune response against cancer stem cells in the tumor. To qualify for this study, patients must have very little to no residual tumor visible on a recent MRI. In addition to the vaccines, patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma will receive standard temozolomide chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Patients with recurrent glioblastoma will not receive any treatment other than the vaccines as long as they are participating in this study, unless they were previously treated with bevacizumab, in which case they will be allowed to continue receiving bevacizumab.

The Primary Objectives are: To determine the extent by which TH-302 is able to penetrate the blood brain barrier and affect tumor tissue To assess the safety of single dose TH-302 in patients with high grade glioma undergoing surgery To assess the safety of TH-302 in combination with bevacizumab for patients with high grade glioma To determine the MTD and DLT(s) of TH-302 in combination with bevacizumab The Secondary Objectives are: To determine the progression-free survival with or without debulking craniotomy for patients treated with combination bevacizumab and TH-302 following recurrence on single agent bevacizumab

Patients will be randomized to one of two treatment arms - Group I and Group II. Group I will receive nivolumab monotherapy until surgical resection, and Group II will receive nivolumab alone and with DC vaccine therapy until surgical resection. During surgical resection blood and tumor samples will be assessed and compared. Following surgery, both groups will continue to receive DC vaccines (total of 8) and nivolumab therapy until confirmed progression.

Background: A glioblastoma is a tumor in the brain. It is treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, most people s tumors come back after therapy. When the tumor grows back, surgery or chemotherapy may not be possible or may no longer work. Repeat radiation therapy or re-irradiation, is an option for treating these tumors when they regrow. Objective: To find out the safety and highest tolerated dose of re-irradiation for people who have recurrent glioblastoma. Eligibility: People ages 18 50 who have glioblastoma that has been treated with radiation but has regrown. Design: Participants will be screened with: Medical history Physical exam MRI of the brain: They will lie in a machine that takes pictures of the brain. Participants will have baseline tests before they start therapy. These will include: Blood tests Neuropsychological tests: These test things like memory, attention, and thinking. Quality of life questionnaire Eye and hearing tests Participants will get a CT of the brain prior to radiation start in order to plan the radiation treatment. Once the plan is completed, they will receive radiation once a day Monday Friday for a total of 10 17 treatments. They will lie on their back for about 10 minutes while they get the treatment. Participants will be monitored for side effects. After they finish treatment, participants will have visits 1, 2, and 3 months later. Then they will have them every 2 months for 3 years. These will include: Medical history Physical exam Blood tests MRI of the brain. Quality of life questionnaire Neuropsychological tests (at some visits) After 3 years, participants will be contacted by phone each month.

Background: - An experimental drug called ABT-888 has been studied in combination with temozolomide (a type of chemotherapy) in adults who have certain kinds of cancer. ABT-88 has been shown to increase tumor sensitivity to temozolomide and improve treatment outcomes in people who have cancer. More research is needed to determine if this combination of drugs will work well as an effective treatment for children who have brain tumors. This will be the first time this combination has been studied in pediatric patients. Objectives: To determine the maximum doses of ABT-888 and temozolomide when given in combination in children with brain tumors. To learn how children metabolize and clear ABT-888 from their bodies so that appropriate doses of this medication can be recommended for future clinical trials of this drug. To learn what side effects may occur when ABT-888 and temozolomide are given together. To learn how certain tumors respond to this combination of drugs by studying the characteristics of these tumors in a laboratory. Eligibility: - Individuals less than 21 years of age who have been diagnosed with a cancer of the nervous system (including brain and brain stem tumors) that has not responded to standard therapy. Design: Before beginning the study, participants will have a full medical history and physical examination, and may also be required to have scans of the brain and spine or provide samples of cerebrospinal fluid. Treatment will consist of up to 13 28-day cycles of therapy, for a total of 52 weeks (1 year). Participants will receive a dose of ABT-888 twice daily for 5 days, and will receive a dose of temozolomide once daily for 5 days, every 28 days. The morning dose of ABT-888 will be given 60-90 minutes before the dose of temozolomide. Participants will have routine blood tests at least once a week throughout the treatment cycles, and will have scans of the brain and spine performed as required by the researchers.