Active clinical trials for "Glioblastoma"

Glioblastomas represent 40% of all tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) and are among the most lethal tumors. Temozolomide (TMZ) combined with radiotherapy was the first substance to significantly improve the overall survival (to 14.6 months) as compared to surgery and radiotherapy alone and increased the proportion of patients surviving more than 2 years to 26%. TMZ showed the best efficacy in patients with a methylated O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter in part by eliminating stem cell-like tumor cells. Among patients with a methylated MGMT promoter, the median survival after treatment with combined radio-chemotherapy was 21.7 months, as compared to 15.3 months among those who were assigned to radiotherapy only. In the absence of methylation of the MGMT promoter, there was a smaller and statistically insignificant difference in survival between the treatment groups. Doxorubicin is one of the most effective substances in vitro against cells derived from glioblastoma. However, it has no significant effect in vivo due to poor blood-brain-barrier penetration. In a tumor model, tissue and CSF-concentrations of doxorubicin were substantially increased when sterically stabilized liposomes were used resulting in a comparable clinical response using approximately half of the dose of stabilized liposomes compared to conventional doxorubicin. A pegylated formulation (PEG-liposomal Doxorubicin) even further improved the penetration of the blood-brain barrier. Case series and two phase II-studies in patients with recurrent glioblastoma have shown modestly promising results for PEG-Dox. In this study, the investigators treated patients with recurrent glioblastoma with 20 mg/m2 PEG-Dox on days 1 and 15 of each 28-day cycle. To determine the dose limiting toxicity of PEG-Dox combined with prolonged administration of TMZ, the investigators performed a phase I part ahead of the phase II study. To investigate, by means of a historical control analysis, if the addition of PEG-Dox to TMZ and radiotherapy improves the survival of patients, the investigators chose similar inclusion criteria and identical TMZ and radiotherapeutic regimes as in the EORTC26981/NCIC-CE.3 study.

Treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) is based on surgery when possible, and chemoradiation with temozolomide, which became a standard since the EORTC study (Stupp, 2005). However, the prognosis of unresectable GBM remains poor despite chemoradiation with an estimated 10 month median survival, in the range of the comparable patients in the RPA class V from the EORTC study (Miramanoff, 2006). Vredenburgh et al. from the Duke University (Durham, NC) reported at ASCO 2006 (fully published in J Clin Oncol, 2007) a 57 % unexpected response rate using a bevacizumab/irinotecan schedule in patients with relapsed GBM or grade 3 astrocytomas. This unusual high response rate, sometimes with major and sustained responses, was confirmed by a cooperative french study of ANOCEF (Guiu et al., 2008). Such a major improvement of treatment effectiveness lead ANOCEF, which federates most of the active neuro-oncology teams in France, to propose a neo-adjuvant and adjuvant bevacizumab-based chemotherapy framing a standard temozolomide-based chemoradiation with the aim to improve the prognosis of unresectable GBM. The bevacizumab/temozolomide combination as neo-adjuvant is presently being evaluated by the Duke University. We believe that an ambitious comparison of the bevacizumab/irinotecan-schedule with the ''standard'' temozolomide-based chemoradiation is a fascinating challenge to improve the treatment of this awful disease. The ANOCEF proposal '' Evaluation of the irinotecan/bevacizumab association as neo-adjuvant and adjuvant treatment of chemoradiation with temozolomide for naive unresectable glioblastoma. Phase II randomized study with comparison to chemoradiation with temozolomide'' has been successfully granted by INCA (Institut National du Fancer, France) through its research program ( PHRC : Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique). Implementation of this program is now starting .

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety of combination therapy of radiotherapy and temozolomide ("concomitant radiotherapy phase"), and then temozolomide monotherapy ("monotherapy phase"), in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme. Progression free survival and response rate will also be calculated.

This phase II trial is studying how well giving vorinostat together with bortezomib works in treating patients with progressive, recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. Vorinostat and bortezomib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving vorinostat together with bortezomib may kill more tumor cells.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the objective response rate and 6-month progression-free survival rate of XL184 in subjects with recurrent or progressive glioblastoma multiforme. XL184 is a new chemical entity that inhibits VEGFR2, MET and RET, kinases implicated in tumor formation, growth and migration.

This phase II trial studies how well dasatinib works in treating patients with glioblastoma multiforme or gliosarcoma that has come back. Dasatinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as epothilone ZK-219477, 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 epothilone ZK-219477 works in treating patients with recurrent glioblastoma.

In this multinational dose finding Phase IIb study the efficacy and safety of two doses of AP 12009 compared to standard chemotherapy (temozolomide or PCV) is investigated in adult patients with confirmed recurrent high-grade glioma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as hydroxychloroquine and temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving hydroxychloroquine together with temozolomide and radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of hydroxychloroquine when given together with radiation therapy and temozolomide and to see how well they work in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.

Primary Objective to estimate 6-month progression free survival probability of patients with recurrent malignant glioma treated with Etoposide + Bevacizumab. Secondary Objectives To evaluate safety & tolerability of Etoposide + Bevacizumab among patients with recurrent malignant glioma (RMG). To evaluate radiographic response, progression free survival & overall survival of patients with recurrent malignant glioma treated with Etoposide + Bevacizumab.