Active clinical trials for "Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy 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 in different ways and giving it together with more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known which radiation therapy and combination chemotherapy regimen is more effective in treating medulloblastoma, supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), or ependymoma. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying six different radiation therapy and combination chemotherapy regimens to compare how well they work in treating young patients with medulloblastoma, PNET, or ependymoma.

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 block blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as irinotecan, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving bevacizumab together with irinotecan may kill more tumor cells. Diagnostic procedures, such as MRI, may help doctors predict a patient's response to treatment and help plan the best treatment. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving bevacizumab together with irinotecan works in treating patients with recurrent malignant glioma and how well MRI predicts response to treatment.

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety of Velcade when used with chemoradiation in cancer patients.

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. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as irinotecan, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving bevacizumab together with irinotecan may kill more tumors cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects of bevacizumab and how well giving bevacizumab together with irinotecan works in treating patients with recurrent or refractory gliomas.

RATIONALE: Radiolabeled octreotide can locate tumor cells and deliver radioactive tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is to study the safety and effectiveness of radiolabeled octreotide in treating children who have advanced or refractory solid tumors.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. It is not yet known whether SU-101 is more effective than procarbazine in treating patients with glioblastoma multiforme. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of SU-101 with that of procarbazine in treating patients with glioblastoma multiforme that has recurred.

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 with recurrent oligodendroglial tumors following combination chemotherapy.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Computer systems that allow doctors to create a 3-dimensional picture of the tumor in order to plan treatment may result in more effective radiation therapy. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining radiation therapy with chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of radiation therapy that has been planned with a computer plus chemotherapy in treating patients who have glioblastoma multiforme.

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 adults with newly diagnosed primary malignant glioblastoma multiforme.

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 with anaplastic oligodendroglioma.