Active clinical trials for "Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and carboplatin, 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. An autologous peripheral stem cell transplant may be able to replace blood-forming cells that were destroyed by chemotherapy. This may allow more chemotherapy to be given so that more tumor cells are killed. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of ifosfamide when given together with paclitaxel and carboplatin followed by an autologous stem cell transplant and to see how well they work in treating patients with germ cell tumors that did not respond to cisplatin.

RATIONALE: Pemetrexed disodium may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Studying samples of cerebrospinal fluid and blood from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn how pemetrexed disodium works in the body and identify biomarkers related to cancer. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying the side effects and how well pemetrexed disodium works in treating patients with leptomeningeal metastases.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Temsirolimus may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. 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. It is not yet known whether radiation therapy is more effective when given together with temsirolimus or temozolomide in treating patients with glioblastoma. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying giving radiation therapy together with temsirolimus to see how well it works compared with giving radiation therapy together with temozolomide in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma.

RATIONALE: Vaccines made from a person's tumor cells and dendritic cells may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects of vaccine therapy in treating patients undergoing surgery for recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

RATIONALE: 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 radiation therapy together with temozolomide may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known which schedule of temozolomide when given together with radiation therapy is more effective in treating glioblastoma or gliosarcoma. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying two different schedules of temozolomide to compare how well they work when given together with radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma or gliosarcoma.

RATIONALE: Vatalanib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor and by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well vatalanib works in treating patients with recurrent or progressive meningioma.

RATIONALE: Imatinib mesylate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. 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 imatinib mesylate together with temozolomide may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of imatinib mesylate when given together with temozolomide in treating patients with malignant glioma.

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

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as carboplatin, thiotepa, and etoposide, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy drugs and kill more tumor cells. Isotretinoin may be effective in preventing recurrence of glioma. It is not yet known which regimen of chemotherapy plus autologous stem cell transplantation with or without isotretinoin is more effective in treating recurrent high-grade glioma. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying high-dose chemotherapy or intermediate-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation to see how well it works compared to high-dose chemotherapy or intermediate-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation and isotretinoin in treating young patients with recurrent high-grade glioma.

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.