Active clinical trials for "Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of procarbazine in treating patients who have progressive or recurrent astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, or glioblastoma multiforme following treatment with radiation therapy.

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 carmustine in treating patients who are undergoing surgery for recurrent malignant glioma.

RATIONALE: ABT-888 may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving ABT-888 together with radiation therapy and temozolomide may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of ABT-888 when given together with radiation therapy and temozolomide and to see how well it works in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: 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. Sorafenib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Bevacizumab and sorafenib may also stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Giving bevacizumab together with sorafenib may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects and how well giving bevacizumab together with sorafenib works in treating patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as arsenic trioxide and temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Arsenic trioxide and temozolomide may also make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving radiation therapy together with combination chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of arsenic trioxide when given together with temozolomide and radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed high-grade glioma.

RATIONALE: 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. Bevacizumab may also stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Erlotinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving bevacizumab together with erlotinib may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving bevacizumab together with erlotinib works after radiation therapy and temozolomide in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme or gliosarcoma.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs, such as cytochlor and tetrahydrouridine, may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of cytochlor when given together with tetrahydrouridine and external-beam radiation therapy in treating patients with cancer that has spread to the brain.

RATIONALE: PTC299 may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and the best dose of PTC299 in treating young patients with recurrent or refractory primary central nervous system tumors.

This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of vandetanib when given together with radiation therapy in treating young patients with newly diagnosed diffuse brain stem glioma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, ifosfamide, and paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. Colony-stimulating factors, such as pegfilgrastim, may increase the number of immune cells found in bone marrow or peripheral blood and may help the immune system recover from the side effects of chemotherapy. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects and how well giving combination chemotherapy together with pegfilgrastim works in treating patients with previously untreated germ cell tumors.