Active clinical trials for "Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as carboplatin, etoposide, ifosfamide, and cisplatin, 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. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase III trial is studying combination chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy to see how well it works compared to radiation therapy alone in treating patients with germ cell tumors in the brain.

RATIONALE: 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. Everolimus may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth and by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Giving temozolomide together with everolimus may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of everolimus when given together with temozolomide in treating patients with newly diagnosed, recurrent, or progressive malignant glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as etoposide and cyclophosphamide, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Thalidomide, celecoxib, and fenofibrate may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking blood flow to the cancer. Celecoxib also may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving combination chemotherapy together with thalidomide, celecoxib, and fenofibrate may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving etoposide and cyclophosphamide together with thalidomide, celecoxib, and fenofibrate works in treating young patients with relapsed or progressive cancer.

The purpose of the study was to determine if treating a limited volume of normal tissue surrounding the tumor or tumor bed using conformal radiation therapy would achieve similar rates of disease control compared to standard radiation therapy. The study was also conducted to examine the effect of irradiation on neurological, endocrine and cognitive function.

RATIONALE: Stereotactic radiosurgery may be able to send x-rays directly to the tumor and cause less damage to normal tissue. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving stereotactic radiosurgery together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving stereotactic radiosurgery together with radiation therapy works in treating patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: Thalidomide may stop the growth of tumor cells by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining thalidomide with temozolomide may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the effectiveness of combining thalidomide with temozolomide in treating young patients who have relapsed or progressive brain tumors or recurrent neuroblastoma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Giving chemotherapy together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving chemotherapy together with radiation therapy after surgery followed by chemotherapy alone works in children with newly diagnosed astrocytoma, glioblastoma multiforme, gliosarcoma, or diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs such as motexafin gadolinium may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness motexafin gadolinium in treating patients with glioblastoma multiforme who are undergoing radiation therapy to the brain.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as ABT-751, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects of ABT-751 in treating young patients with refractory solid tumors.

RATIONALE: Biological therapies such as poly-ICLC use different ways to stimulate the immune system and stop tumor cells from growing. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how poly-ICLC works in treating patients with recurrent, progressive, or relapsed anaplastic glioma.