Active clinical trials for "Glioma"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as arsenic trioxide, work in 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 and may be an effective treatment for patients with glioma. Drugs such as arsenic trioxide may also make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Combining arsenic trioxide with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combining arsenic trioxide with radiation therapy in treating patients who have newly diagnosed gliomas.

RATIONALE: Thalidomide may stop the growth of malignant glioma by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as procarbazine, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining thalidomide with procarbazine may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving thalidomide together with procarbazine works in treating patients with recurrent or progressive malignant glioma.

This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of FR901228 in treating children with refractory or recurrent solid tumors or leukemia. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die

This study will examine the safety and effectiveness of peginterferon alpha-2b (PEG-Intron) alone and together with thalidomide in patients with gliomas (a type of brain tumor). Gliomas are nourished by blood delivered through blood vessels whose formation is stimulated by substances produced by the tumor itself. Stopping the growth of new vessels can slow or prevent tumor growth. The Food and Drug Administration has approved various interferons for treating several diseases, including melanoma and some leukemias. These drugs block new vessel growth in patients with recurrent tumors, but in high doses they produce serious side effects. Therefore, this study will use a low dose of PEG-Intron given weekly instead of high doses given several times a week. Thalidomide, currently approved to treat leprosy, also blocks development of new blood vessel formation. In a recent study of thalidomide given to 36 patients with gliomas, 4 patients had tumor shrinkage, 12 had stable disease for at least 2 months, and at least 3 had responses to treatment lasting 6 to 14 months. Patients 18 years of age and older with a primary glioma whose tumor has recurred or is growing following standard treatment and does not respond to radiation therapy may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a physical examination, blood and urine tests (including a pregnancy test for women of childbearing potential), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) of the head. Patients will continue treatment cycles as long as the drug is tolerated without serious side effects and the tumor is not growing. While on the study, patients will undergo various tests and procedures as follows: Physical and neurologic examinations every 6 weeks MRI or CT brain scan every 6 weeks to assess tumor status. MRI is a diagnostic test that uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to show structural and chemical changes in tissues. During the scan, the patient lies on a table in a narrow cylinder containing a magnetic field. He or she can speak with a staff member through an intercom system at all times during the procedure.

This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of imatinib mesylate and to see how well it works in treating patients with a recurrent brain tumor that has not responded to previous surgery and radiation therapy. Imatinib mesylate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for tumor cell growth.

This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of arsenic trioxide and radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed malignant glioma. Drugs such as arsenic trioxide may stop the growth of malignant glioma by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining arsenic trioxide with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells.

This is a Phase II, open-label, multicenter trial of single-agent treatment with Tarceva in patients with histologically confirmed GBM in first relapse. This study seeks to estimate the objective response rate and will investigate whether response rate is related to EGFR amplification status.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as CC-8490, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of CC-8490 in treating patients who have recurrent or refractory high-grade gliomas.

This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of cilengitide in treating children with recurrent, progressive, or refractory primary CNS tumors. Cilengitide may slow the growth of brain cancer cells by stopping blood flow to the tumor.

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