Active clinical trials for "Glioma"

RATIONALE: Thalidomide and celecoxib may stop the growth of tumor cells by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining thalidomide and celecoxib with etoposide and cyclophosphamide may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining thalidomide and celecoxib with etoposide and cyclophosphamide in treating patients who have relapsed or refractory malignant glioma.

In this study an investigational replication-defective, recombinant adenovirus expressing the interferon-beta gene (BG00001) will be directly injected into tumors, in patients with recurrent Grade III and Grade IV Gliomas, in order to deliver the hIFN-beta gene. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the safety and any harmful effects of injection of BG00001 into brain tumors. Also, this study will help determine whether the virus carrying the beta interferon gene will enter brain tumor cells and cause the cancer cells to die. This study will require one hospital admission for the actual procedure of drug administration. All other visits will be conducted on an out-patient basis

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of karenitecin in treating patients who have recurrent malignant glioma.

Diffuse pontine gliomas are tumors on the pons portion of the brainstem. Their peak incidence is in children between 5 and 10 years old. Their location makes surgical resection impossible. Most patients are treated with radiation, which typically delays progression of the tumor for a median time of only about 6 months; median survival time is less than 1 year. The addition of chemotherapy has not improved the outcome. Alpha, beta, and gamma interferons have been used to treat malignant brain tumors, with mixed results. Different doses and different methods of administration have been studied. Alpha interferon is usually given in high doses 2 or 3 times a week, but it has serious side effects at these doses. Recent studies have shown that administering chemotherapy more frequently at smaller doses (metronomic) may have a better effect against the tumor. PEG-Intron(Trademark) is a form of interferon alpha combined with monomethoxy polyethylene glycol (PEG). It has a longer half-life than interferon alone, is administered once a week, and the long half-life reduces the peaks and troughs in blood levels. This study will enroll 32 patients under age 21. The primary goals of the study are to determine if there is a difference in the 2-year survival rate of patients treated with radiation alone and those treated with radiation followed by PEG-Intron(Trademark) and to define the toxicities of PEG-Intron(Trademark) in the study doses. Secondary goals are to evaluate various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques for noninvasive monitoring of changes in the brainstem and to evaluate neuropsychological function. In this study, PEG-Intron(Trademark) will be administered subcutaneously once a week at low doses (0.3 microgram per kilogram of body weight) for a 4-week cycle. The cycles will be repeated indefinitely until progression of disease or serious side effects develop. For less severe effects, the dose will be lowered and the patient may remain in the study. For more severe effects, the dose will be discontinued. Patients in the study may receive supportive medication but may not receive other forms of chemotherapy. Patients or their caregivers will be instructed in how to inject the drug. Patients and/or caregivers will be asked to maintain a diary documenting the dose, site of administration, and any side effects. The diary will be reviewed at each National Cancer Institute (NCI) visit. Patients will return to NCI before cycles 2 and 3. If there are no significant side effects, patients may then return to NCI before every other cycle, indefinitely (i.e., before cycles 5, 7, 9, etc.). Patients will undergo the following tests and procedures: Physical examination, including neurologic exam, monthly Complete blood count, differential, and platelet count weekly during cycle 1 and every 2 weeks thereafter if no severe side effects occur Blood chemistries weekly during cycle 1 and every 2 weeks thereafter if no severe side effects occur Endocrine function tests before each cycle Urinalysis before each cycle MRI of the brain before cycles 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and every other month; patients may also have proton magnetic spectroscopic imaging performed at the time of the MRI

RATIONALE: SU5416 may stop the growth of astrocytoma or glioma by stopping blood flow to the tumor. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of SU5416 in treating patients who have recurrent astrocytoma or mixed glioma that has not responded to previous radiation therapy.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug and giving drugs in different ways may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of O6-benzylguanine and implanted carmustine wafers in treating patients who have recurrent malignant glioma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of temozolomide in treating patients who have recurrent malignant glioma.

Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of pyrazoloacridine plus carboplatin in treating patients who have recurrent glioma. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells.

RATIONALE: Brachytherapy uses radioactive material to kill cancer cells remaining after surgery. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of brachytherapy in treating patients who have recurrent malignant glioma.

Biological therapies such as gefitinib may interfere with the growth of the tumor cells and may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. This phase I/II trial is studying how well giving gefitinib together with radiation therapy works in treating children with newly diagnosed glioma.