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.

This phase II trial studies the side effects and how well HSPPC-96 (vitespen) and temozolomide work in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme. Vaccines made from a person's tumor cells and heat shock protein peptide may help the body to build an effective immune response 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, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving HSPPC-96 (vitespen) together with temozolomide may kill more tumor cells.

RATIONALE: Mibefradil dihydrochloride 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. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the best dose of mibefradil dihydrochloride when given together with temozolomide in treating patients with glioma.

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: 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.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy such as methotrexate and temozolomide use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Monoclonal antibodies such as rituximab can locate cancer cells and either kill them or deliver cancer-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage cancer cells. Combining methotrexate, temozolomide, and rituximab with radiation therapy may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of temozolomide when given together with methotrexate and rituximab followed by radiation therapy and to see how well they work in treating patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma.

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. Thalidomide may stop the growth of glioblastoma multiforme by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Isotretinoin may help cells that are involved in the body's immune response to work better. Celecoxib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. It is not yet known which temozolomide-containing regimen is more effective in treating glioblastoma multiforme. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying eight different temozolomide-containing regimens to compare how well they work in treating patients who have undergone radiation therapy for 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, such as ixabepilone, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well ixabepilone works in treating patients with metastatic germ cell tumors that are refractory to cisplatin.