Active clinical trials for "Nervous System Neoplasms"

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.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Giving radiation therapy in different ways may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of radiation therapy in treating patients who are undergoing surgical removal of progressive or recurrent malignant brain tumors.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well temozolomide works in treating patients with progressive low-grade glioma.

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. It is not yet known whether undergoing surgery plus radiation therapy is more effective with or without chemotherapy for primitive neuroectodermal tumors of the CNS. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of surgery plus radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy in treating patients who have primitive neuroectodermal tumors of the CNS.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of carmustine plus O(6)-benzylguanine in treating patients who have recurrent or progressive gliomas of the brain.

RATIONALE: LMB-7 immunotoxin can locate tumor cells and kill them without harming normal cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of LMB-7 immunotoxin in treating patients who have leptomeningeal metastases metastases.

RATIONALE: Biological therapies use different ways to stimulate the immune system and stop cancer cells from growing. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of biological therapy in treating patients with 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 phenylacetate in treating children with recurrent or progressive brain tumors.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining chemotherapy with peripheral stem cell transplantation may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy drugs and kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combining chemotherapy with peripheral stem cell transplantation in treating children who have central nervous system cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Thalidomide and celecoxib may stop the growth of tumor cells by stopping blood flow to the tumor and may increase the effectiveness of temozolomide by making tumor cells more sensitive to the drug. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining temozolomide, thalidomide, and celecoxib following radiation therapy in treating patients who have newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.