Active clinical trials for "Glioma"

Plerixafor in combination with bevacizumab is a drug combination that may stop cancer cells from growing abnormally. Bevacizumab, also known as Avastin, is FDA approved for use in patients with recurrent glioblastoma and has been studied extensively in other types of solid tumors. Plerixafor, also known as Mozobil, is FDA approved for use in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma and has been used in treatment for other cancers. Information from experiments in laboratories suggests that the combination of plerixafor and bevacizumab may help prevent the growth of gliomas. Part 1: The investigators are looking for the highest dose of plerixafor that can be given safely with bevacizumab (with a 21 days on/7 days off regimen of plerixafor). The investigators will also do blood tests to find out how the body uses and breaks down the drug combination. Part 2: The investigators are looking to see if plerixafor can get past the blood-brain barrier and into brain tumors. The investigators will also do blood tests to find out how the body uses and breaks down the drug combination. Part 3: The investigators are looking for for more information re: safety and tolerability of plerixafor in combination with bevacizumab (with a 28 days on/0 days off regimen of plerixafor). The investigators will also do blood tests to find out how the body uses and breaks down the drug combination.

This phase I/II trial studies the side effects and best dose of temozolomide when given together with radiation therapy, carmustine, O6-benzylguanine, and patients' own stem cell (autologous) transplant in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme or gliosarcoma. Giving chemotherapy, such as temozolomide, carmustine, and O6-benzylguanine, and radiation therapy before a peripheral stem cell transplant stops the growth of cancer cells by stopping them from dividing or killing them. Giving colony-stimulating factors, such as filgrastim or plerixafor, and certain chemotherapy drugs, helps stem cells move from the bone marrow to the blood so they can be collected and stored. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy is then given to prepare the bone marrow for the stem cell transplant. The stem cells are then returned to the patient to replace the blood-forming cells that were destroyed by the chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Background: One way tumors are able to grow is by forming new blood vessels that supply them with nutrients and oxygen. Sunitinib blocks certain proteins on the surface of tumor and blood vessel cells that are involved with the formation of new blood vessels. Blocking these proteins may prevent the tumor cells or blood vessels from continuing to grow. Objectives: To determine whether sunitinib can cause tumors to shrink or stabilize in patients with recurrent brain cancer. Eligibility: Patients 18 years of age or older with brain cancer whose disease has worsened after standard treatment with surgery, radiation. Design: Patients take a sunitinib pill once a day in 4-week treatment cycles. Treatment may continue as long as the tumor remains stable or decreases in size and the side effects of treatment are tolerated. Routine blood tests are done every 2 weeks during the first 8 weeks of treatment and then every 4 weeks after that. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are done before starting treatment (at baseline) and at the end of every 4-week cycle to monitor tumor growth. Positron emission tomography (PET) scans are done at baseline and at the end of the first cycle. Neurological and physical examinations are done at baseline, at week 2 of treatment and at the end of every treatment cycle. Health-related quality of life is assessed every 4 weeks. Pregnancy tests, electrocardiograms and echocardiograms are repeated as needed.

Background: Bevacizumab is a genetically engineered antibody that blocks the growth of new blood vessels in tumors. It has shown activity against human brain tumors in laboratory tests and human clinical trials. Irinotecan causes damage to the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in cancer cells so that the cells cannot reproduce or repair themselves. It is approved for treating patients with colorectal cancer. Bevacizumab and irinotecan in combination are more effective against colon cancer than either drug alone. Objectives: To determine the safety of bevacizumab and irinotecan and any side effects associated with the combination of the two drugs when given to patients with high grade gliomas. To determine if the combination of bevacizumab and irinotecan can help patients with brain tumors that have grown after treatment with bevacizumab alone. Eligibility: -Patients 18 years of age and older who have been treated on National Cancer Institute (NCI) trial 06-C-0064 (NCT00271609), "Bevacizumab Alone for Recurrent Gliomas," and whose tumor has progressed. Design: Participants receive infusions of bevacizumab and irinotecan through a vein once every 2 weeks in 4-week treatment cycles, plus the following procedures: History, physical and neurological examinations every 2 weeks for the first treatment cycle and then every 4 weeks Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan of the head every 4 weeks. Routine lab every week. Quality-of-life questionnaire every 4 weeks

In this research study the investigators want to learn more about the effects, both good and bad, when the study drug Ribociclib is given after radiation therapy. The investigators are asking people to be in this research study that have been newly diagnosed with a high grade glioma, and the tumor has been screened for the Rb1 protein, and have recently finished radiation therapy. Patients with a DIPG or a Bi-thalamic high grade glioma do not need to have tumor tissue screened for the Rb1 protein but do need to have finished radiation therapy. Tumor cells grow and divide quickly. In normal cells, there are proteins called cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK 4 and 6) that control cell division. Another protein Rb1 also controls cell division and works to stop cells from dividing so they do not become cancer cells. But in cancer, the CDK 4 and 6 proteins are out of control making the cells divide and grow quickly. The study drug, ribociclib stops the CDK 4 and 6 proteins. When the CDK 4 and 6 proteins are stopped, the normal Rb1 protein can now work to slow cell growth. For patients with HGG, to be in this study tumor tissue must have a normal Rb1 protein. The researchers think that if the study drug is given soon after radiation therapy, it may help improve the effect of the radiation in stopping the tumor from growing. The study drug, Ribociclib is considered investigational as it has not yet been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The study drug has been tested in children and adults with cancer in prior research studies.

Multicenter, open label, prospective study including successively a phase I trial and then a phase II trial Phase I : Open label, non-randomized, sequential dose escalation of both drugs, vinblastine and nilotinib.

This study will be aimed at investigating the effectiveness of a treatment for brain tumors called Photodynamic Therapy, or PDT. Briefly, a subject will receive a light-sensitive drug, called Photofrin®, the day before a tumor removal surgery. The next day, after the tumor is removed, red light from a laser will be shone into the tumor cavity through a light-diffusing sphere. This light will activate the photosensitizer, and possibly kill any tumor cells that may be left. We plan to measure how long the subject may go without a new tumor regrowth, and overall how long subjects survive. We will compare these results to typical results to see if we are seeing any improvements. Objective: To define the antitumor activity of Photofrin® and laser light activation within the confines of a Phase II study.

This clinical trial develops a new metabolic imaging approach (activity magnetic resonance imaging [aMRI]) for use in diagnosing and evaluating neurological disease in patients with gliomas. Tumor cells have altered metabolism compared to normal cells.This makes metabolic activity imaging useful for diagnosing and assessing neurological disease. However, current options for metabolic activity imaging are limited. Metabolic activity imaging is primarily conducted using positron emission tomography (PET) with a radioactive tracer called fludeoxyglucose F-18 (¹⁸FDG). A PET scan is a procedure in which a small amount of radioactive glucose (¹⁸FDG) is injected into a vein, and a scanner is used to make detailed, computerized pictures of areas inside the body where the glucose is taken up. PET imaging is very expensive and is usually much less available than other imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI uses radiofrequency waves and a strong magnetic field to provide clear and detailed pictures of internal organs and tissues. While MRI is more available than PET, it isn't as useful in evaluating metabolic activity. Unlike standard MRI, the aMRI approach uses new ways of analyzing MRI images that provides information about tumor cell metabolic activity. Via direct comparison with a standard metabolic imaging approach, ¹⁸FDG PET, this clinical trial will assess the validity of aMRI as a metabolic imaging approach for evaluating neurological disease in patients with glioma.

DC vaccine manufactured and partially matured using our standard operating procedures, developed in collaboration with the HGG Immuno Group, then administered through imiquimod treated skin will be safe and feasible in children with refractory brain tumors. This will result in anti-tumor immunity that will prolong survival of subjects treated and results will be consistent with the outcomes found for subjects treated by HGG Immuno Group investigators. Study treatment will correlate with laboratory evidence of immune activation. Correlative studies will also reveal targets in the immune system which can be exploited to improve response for patients on successor trials.

The study aims at constructing a Chinese language probabilistic map by awake intraoperative direct electrical stimulation (DES) language mapping. At the same time, the standardization and optimization of awake intraoperative DES parameters will be explored, factors affecting postoperative function morbidity and survival will also be analyzed.