Active clinical trials for "Brain Neoplasms"

Metabolic Tumor Volume (MTV), identified by Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI) is different from the Clinical Target Volume (CTV) used for radiation dose delivery in the treatment of brain tumors. If MTV > CTV, the investigators hypothesize that the difference in volumes (cc) is related to worse clinical outcome. Furthermore, in case of local recurrence, the lesion is located in the MTV area that is outside of the CTV. Alternatively, if CTV > MTV, then the difference in volumes is related to higher treatment toxicity.

What happens in the borderzone of a cerebral hemorrhage remains widely onknown and furhter the best timing for doing MR to look for vascular pathology in cerebral hemorrhage has not yet been determined. In this study we do acute MRS, a non-invasive imaging mathod to detemine the biochemsty in the border zone and structural MRI for vascular malformation. We repeat structural MRI after 8 weeks.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate diagnostic imaging techniques using 124I-NM404 PET/CT in humans with brain metastases and GBMs. This goal will be accomplished by determining the optimal PET/CT protocol and comparing PET tumor uptake to MRI and calculating tumor dosimetry. A future aim of this study will be to compare non-invasive PET/CT and MRI findings with pathological specimens, which is the gold standard but is invasive and impractical in many cases, to determine the sensitivity and specificity of both techniques for accurately detecting tumor infiltration. The data obtained from this study will be used to develop larger diagnostic and therapeutic trials in brain tumors. The long-term goals of this research are to improve the diagnosis and treatment of malignant brain tumors by using radioiodinated NM404.

Patients undergoing a brain tumour neurosurgery with craniotomy may present rare but lifethreatening post-operative complications. There are currently no strong recommendations to help the clinician in an attempt to properly hospitalise these patients after their intervention (Neuro-ICU, ICU,surgical ward). Determining risk factors of post-operative complications could optimise resources. Therefore hospitalisation in Neuro-ICU would be mandatory in only a little number of patients.

The purpose of this study is to determine if WBRT combined with SRS resulted in improvements in survival, brain tumor control, functional preservation rate, and frequency of neurologic death.

Study of the influence of brain tumor on bilateral electroencephalogram (EEG) during anaesthesia.

A prospective cohort study is proposed to evaluate occupational and environmental risk factors for cancer among women in Shanghai, China. Approximately 75,000 women aged 40-69 who reside in eight geographically defined communities in two urban districts of Shanghai will be recruited via a community-based cancer education program. All eligible subjects will be invited by local health workers from the neighborhood health station to the clinic for an interview and selected anthropometric measurements. The interview will elicit information on demographic background, diet, lifestyle factors, medical history, lifetime occupational history and residential history for the past 20 years. In addition, the women will be asked for information on their husbands' current and usual occupations, and demographic and a few other exposure factors. A spot urine sample and 10 ml of blood will be collected from all cohort members and stored at -70 degrees C for future assays of urine metabolites and DNA and hemoglobin adducts of selected occupational and environmental carcinogens, and polymorphic genes encoding enzymes that are involved in metabolism of relevant carcinogens. Cohort members and their husbands will be followed for cancer outcomes through biennial recontact and linkage with files of the population-based Shanghai Cancer Registry, of the Shanghai Vital Statistics, and of the Shanghai Resident Registry. Medical records and pathology slides will be reviewed for all cancer cases to verify their diagnosis. Post-diagnostic blood samples will be obtained from all cohort members diagnosed with cancer during the follow-up period and stored for future methodologic and etiologic studies. The proposed initial study period is 5 years, with an average follow-up of about 3.5 years. We anticipate, however, that follow-up will continue for 10 years or more.

The purpose is to characterize tumour biological markers in brain metastases tissue from patients with different primary tumour by using ex vivo techniques as high-resolution magic angle spinning MR spectroscopy and micro array.

This study in children and young adults will compare two types of imaging, positron emission tomography ([(18)F]-DG PET) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRSI), to determine activity of a brain tumor or abnormal tissue in the brain following treatment for a brain tumor. Children with brain tumors are generally followed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to evaluate response to treatment. However, because MRI only provides information on the structure of the brain, it may difficult to tell if an abnormal finding is due to tumor, swelling, scar tissue, or dead tissue. (1)H-MRSI and [(18)F]-DG PET, on the other hand, provide information on the metabolic activity of brain lesions. These two methods will be compared and evaluated for their ability to provide important additional information on childhood brain tumors. Patients between 1 and 21 years of age with a brain tumor or brain tissue abnormality following treatment for a brain tumor may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a medical history and physical examination, pregnancy test in women who are able to become pregnant, and a blood test for glucose. Participants will undergo the following procedures: (1)H-MRSI - This test is similar to MRI and is done in the same scanning machine. In MRI, scans of the brain are obtained by applying a strong magnetic field and then collecting the signals released from water after the magnetic field is changed. Pictures of the brain are then obtained by computer analysis of these signals. In (1)H-MRSI, the computer blocks the signal from water to get information on brain chemicals that can indicate whether an abnormality is tumor or dead tissue. Both MRI and MRI and (1)H-MRSI are done in this study. For these tests, the child lies on a stretcher that moves into the scanner - a narrow metal cylinder with a strong magnetic field. The child's head is placed in a headrest to prevent movement during the scan. He or she will hear loud thumping noises caused by the electrical switching of the magnetic field. A contrast agent is given through an intravenous (IV) catheter (plastic tube placed in an arm vein) or through a central line if one is in place. The contrast material brightens the images to provide a clearer picture of abnormalities. Children who have difficulty holding still or being in a scanning machine are given medications by an anesthesiologist to make them sleep through the procedure. Children who are awake during the procedure can communicate with the MRI technician at all times and ask to be removed from the scanner at any time. The MRI and (1)H-MRSI take 1-1/2 to 2 hours to complete. [(18)F]-DG PET - For this test, [(18)F]-DG (a radioactive form of glucose) is injected into the patient's arm vein through a catheter, followed by the PET scan, similar to a very open MRI scan without the noise. The PET scan tells how active the patient's tumor is by tracking the radioactive glucose. All cells use glucose, but cells with increased metabolism, such as cancer cells, use more glucose than normal cells. After the glucose injection, the patient lies quietly in a darkened room for 30 minutes, after which he or she is asked to urinate to help reduce the dose of radiation to the bladder. Then, the scan begins. When the scan is finished (after about 1 hour), the child is asked to urinate again and then every 3 to 4 hours for the rest of the day. Patients remain in the study for 2 years unless they withdraw, become pregnant, or require sedation but can no longer use an anesthetic. MRI and 1H-MRSI scans may be repeated every few months during the study period, if necessary. Only one PET scan is done each year.

This study will assess cognitive function in adult patients with a primary brain tumour treated with surgical resection with or without radiation therapy (RT). All types of brain tumours apart from glioblastoma will be included