Active clinical trials for "Glioma"

This study is being conducted to characterize the safety/tolerability of pazopanib and lapatinib when administered in combination with enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants in patients with recurrent Grade III or IV malignant gliomas.

This phase II trial is studying how well giving bevacizumab together with irinotecan works in treating young patients with recurrent, progressive, or refractory glioma, medulloblastoma, ependymoma, or low grade glioma. Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Bevacizumab may also stop the growth of glioma by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as irinotecan, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving bevacizumab together with irinotecan may kill more tumor cells.

Background: In vivo experiments have documented the ability of ZD6474 to inhibit tumor growth in various preclinical tumor models. Given the pronounced neovasculature associated with malignant gliomas, and abundant published data demonstrating the dependence of glioma growth on the maintenance and proliferation of this neovasculature, ZD6474 represents a potentially promising new therapeutic approach to these otherwise refractory tumors. Thus, we now propose a phase I trial of ZD6474 in patients with recurrent and progressive low-grade gliomas who are on P450-inducing anti-epileptic drugs and a phase II trial for patients with recurrent gliomas not taking P450-inducing anti-epileptic drugs. Objective: Phase I - To establish the maximally tolerated dose of ZD6474 and to obtain preliminary information regarding the spectrum of toxicities of ZD6474, and to obtain pharmacokinetic data to patients taking EIAED. Phase I - To obtain preliminary information regarding potential anti-tumor activity of ZD6474 in patients taking EIAED. Phase II - To establish data regarding the anti-tumor activity of ZD6474 and to collect information regarding the spectrum of toxicities in patients not taking EIAEDs. Eligibility: Patients with histologically proven malignant primary gliomas will be eligible for this protocol. Additionally, patients with progressive low-grade gliomas and patients with infiltrative brain stem gliomas, diagnosed radiographically rather than by biopsy will also be eligible. Design: Phase I - Group B patients will be accrued to the formal dose-escalation phase I trial. Groups of patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas will be accrued to increasingly higher doses of ZD6474 until the MTD is established. Phase II - Patients will be treated at a dose of 300 mg day, every day, on a 4-week cycle.

Treatment on this study combines two drugs: Thalomid™ (thalidomide) and carboplatin. Thalidomide has been available for many years and has been used to treat many different illnesses. Carboplatin is an effective medicine in killing cancer cells. Thalidomide works by blocking angiogenesis (the process of new blood vessel formation). If a tumor does not have blood vessels providing oxygen and nutrients, it will not be able to grow. This research will look at how combining the effects of thalidomide (preventing tumor growth) with the tumor killing effect of carboplatin effects the long-term outlook for patients with these tumors. This study will try to find out how well Thalomid™ and carboplatin combined with radiation therapy works in treating children newly diagnosed with brain stem glioma. This study will look at how well Thalomid ™ and carboplatin work in patients with recurrent brain stem glioma. This study will also look at any side effects of these treatments.

This phase I/II trial studies lapatinib to see how well it works in treating young patients with recurrent or refractory central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Lapatinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Giving chemotherapy together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving chemotherapy together with radiation therapy after surgery followed by chemotherapy alone works in children with newly diagnosed astrocytoma, glioblastoma multiforme, gliosarcoma, or diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.

This is a clinical research study of a new investigational treatment for cancer called "DTI-015" to be given by intratumoral injection. Intratumoral injection is when drug is injected directly into the tumor. This study will help doctors find out what is the best dose level for DTI-015 and if this treatment can shrink tumors without causing severe side effects. The effects of the drug on the patient's quality of life (how the patient feels and what the patient can do) and their mental functions (reasoning and thinking abilities) will also be studied.

RATIONALE: Biological therapies such as poly-ICLC use different ways to stimulate the immune system and stop tumor cells from growing. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how poly-ICLC works in treating patients with recurrent, progressive, or relapsed anaplastic glioma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well temozolomide works in treating patients with progressive low-grade glioma.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs such as motexafin gadolinium may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of motexafin gadolinium plus radiation therapy in treating children who have newly diagnosed brain stem glioma