Active clinical trials for "Glioma"

Diagnosis of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) for decades has relied on imaging studies and clinical findings. Histologic confirmation has been absent with surgical biopsy of brainstem tumors not believed to have acceptable safety. The prognosis of DIPG has remained quite poor and novel therapeutic strategies are needed. This DIPG Biology and Treatment Study (DIPG-BATS) study incorporates a surgical biopsy at presentation using strict preoperative neurosurgical planning and stratifies participants to receive FDA-approved agents chosen on the basis of specific biologic targets. This is the first prospective national clinical trial to examine the feasibility and safety of incorporating surgical biopsy into potential treatment strategies for children with DIPG.

This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and the best dose of RO4929097 to see how well it works when given together with bevacizumab compared to bevacizumab alone in treating patients with progressive or recurrent malignant glioma. RO4929097 may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. 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. Giving RO4929097 together with bevacizumab may kill more tumor cells.

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 is a phase II study of the combination of panitumumab with irinotecan in malignant glioma patients. The primary objective of the study is to determine the activity of the combination of panitumumab with irinotecan as measured by 6-month progression-free survival. Secondary objectives include the following- to determine the safety of panitumumab in combination with irinotecan in patients with malignant glioma; to determine the effect of panitumumab in combination with irinotecan on corticosteroid dose for each patient; to explore any relationship between epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) mutational analysis and efficacy or toxicity; and, to determine the response rate and overall survival of recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) patients treated with panitumumab in combination with irinotecan. The patients will have histologically documented grade 4 malignant gliomas (glioblastoma multiforme or gliosarcoma) that have failed at least one prior chemotherapy regimen and all patients will have received radiation therapy. This study will investigate second or greater line of therapy for recurrent grade 4 malignant glioma. The patient population will include 32 patients. The patients will undergo a baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well as a MRI after every six-week cycle to determine response and progression. After 16 patients with recurrent GBM are treated, an interim analysis will be conducted. The most common side effects associated with panitumumab have been dermatological (skin) problems such as erythema (redness of the skin), acneiform rash (skin eruptions of the face), skin exfoliation, pruritus (itching), skin fissures (skin tears), xerosis (dryness of the eye, skin, or mouth), and rash. The most common side effects associated with irinotecan have been decreased blood counts of platelets (increased risk of bleeding), white blood cells (increased risk of infection), red blood cells (anemia); diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, fever, mouth sores, dehydration (excessive loss of body fluids), rash, itching, changes in skin color, swelling, numbness, tingling, dizziness, confusion, low blood pressure, sweating, hot flashes, hair loss, inflammation of the liver, flu-like symptoms, decreased urine output, shortness of breath, and pneumonia (inflammatory disease of the lungs).

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

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.