Active clinical trials for "Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as alanosine, use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of alanosine in treating patients with high-grade progressive or recurrent malignant gliomas.

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: Interferon alfa may interfere with the growth of cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of interferon alfa in treating patients with recurrent unresectable meningiomas and malignant meningiomas.

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. Combining radiation therapy with chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine followed by radiation therapy in treating adults who have supratentorial glioma.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. 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. It is not yet known which chemotherapy regimen is more effective when combined with radiation therapy for treating medulloblastoma. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare two combination chemotherapy treatments plus radiation therapy in treating children with newly diagnosed medulloblastoma.

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. 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.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs such as motexafin gadolinium may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of motexafin gadolinium plus radiation therapy to the brain in treating patients who have newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.