Active clinical trials for "Glioma"

This phase II trial is studying how well tipifarnib works in treating young patients with recurrent or progressive high-grade glioma, medulloblastoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor, or brain stem glioma. Tipifarnib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth.

RATIONALE: Photodynamic therapy uses a drug, such as porfimer sodium, that becomes active when it is exposed to a certain kind of light. When the drug is active, tumor cells are killed. Giving photodynamic therapy after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying two different light doses of photodynamic therapy using porfimer sodium to compare how well they work in treating patients who are undergoing surgery for recurrent malignant astrocytoma.

Background: Radiation therapy with temozolomide (an anti-cancer drug) is standard therapy for treating brain tumors called glioblastomas. The drug valproic acid, currently approved for treating seizures, has been shown in laboratory tests to increase the radiosensitivity of glioma cells. Objectives: -To determine the effectiveness of adding valproic acid to standard treatment with radiation therapy and temozolomide for treating glioblastoma. Eligibility: -Patients 18 years of age and older with glioblastoma multiforme who have not been previously treated with chemotherapy of radiation. Design: This Phase II trial will enroll 41 patients. Patients will receive radiation therapy to the brain once a day, Monday through Friday, for 6 1/2 weeks. Patients will take temozolomide once a day by mouth, Monday through Friday, during the period of radiation treatment. Starting 4 weeks after radiation therapy, patients will take temozolomide once a day for 5 days every 28 days for a total of six cycles. Patients will receive valproic acid by mouth twice a day beginning 1 week prior to the first day of radiation therapy and continuing until the completion of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Patients will have follow-up visits 1 month after completing therapy, then every 3 months for 2 years, and then every 6 months for 3 years. Follow-up includes a physical examination, blood tests and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain.

Phase 2 trial to explore the efficacy and safety of irinotecan (CPT-11). Also administered at each cycle was zofran/Kytril/Anzemet, decadron, and IV atropine. At each cycle, patient exams and interviews as well as lab results were to help the research team to determine the symptomatic side effects of the treatment. Recorded past toxicities were to be compared with current side effects.

This study seeks to define the tolerability and safety associated with the administration of Dronabinol in the treatment of adults with nausea, vomiting and appetite loss in patients with primary gliomas who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment. The study will also describe the effect of Dronabinol on the quality of life in terms of nausea, vomiting and anorexia in this patient group.

RATIONALE: Collecting samples of tumor tissue and blood from patients with cancer to study in the laboratory may help doctors learn how patients respond to treatment. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is looking at tumor tissue samples from patients receiving imatinib mesylate for malignant glioma to see how much imatinib mesylate is found in the tumor tissue.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the combination of Temozolomide and Cisplatinum is effective in the treatment of malignant glial tumours of children and adolescents

- The purpose of this study is to find out if the combination of lenalidomide and radiation therapy is effective in controlling tumor growth in patients with newly-diagnosed supratentorial glioblastoma or gliosarcoma.

This is an open-label, single site study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of intratumoral administration of G207 followed by treatment with radiation therapy in patients with recurrent/progressive malignant glioma. This study is a two stage phase 1 study, in which a de-escalating dosing scheme will be used, i.e. the first patients will receive the higher dose and if excessive toxicity occurs, the dose will be reduced for the following patients. The purpose of the dose de-escalation phase is to find the best safe dose of G207. In the first stage of the study, treatment with G207 will be followed by focal radiation therapy on the following day, and in the second stage treatment with G207 will be followed by gamma knife surgery also on the following day. All patients will return to the clinic 28 days and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after G207 administration at which time clinical assessments will be performed, and will be followed for safety and survival at clinic visits or by telephone every 3 months for up to 2 additional years and annually thereafter.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs such as carboplatin and lobradimil may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combining radiation therapy with carboplatin and lobradimil in treating children who have newly diagnosed brain stem gliomas.