Active clinical trials for "Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as methotrexate, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Leucovorin may decrease side effects caused by high-dose methotrexate. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving high-dose methotrexate together with leucovorin works in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as CC-8490, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of CC-8490 in treating patients who have recurrent or refractory high-grade gliomas.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as arsenic trioxide, work in 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 and may be an effective treatment for patients with glioma. Drugs such as arsenic trioxide may also make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Combining arsenic trioxide with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combining arsenic trioxide with radiation therapy in treating patients who have newly diagnosed gliomas.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in 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 more than one chemotherapy drug with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving intrathecal and systemic combination chemotherapy together with radiation therapy works in treating young patients with newly diagnosed central nervous system (CNS) atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors.

Studies have provided evidence that residual microscopic malignant cells in autologous bone marrow or blood stem cell grafts can contribute to posttransplant relapse. Researchers are currently exploring different methods in an attempt to purify or "purge" the stem cell product to minimize the risk of tumor contamination. The CD133+ antigen is a protein contained on or "expressed" on numerous cells in the human body including specific hematopoietic progenitor (blood forming) cells. However, this antigen is not expressed on certain cancer cells including neuroblastoma. A technique using the investigational CliniMACS cell sorting device has been developed in an effort to filter out only those stem cells that express this CD133+ antigen in order to infuse a hematopoietic stem cell product with no tumor contamination potential. The primary objective of this study is to establish safety of treating patients with a high dose chemotherapy regimen of Busulfan and Melphalan followed by autologous CD133+ hematopoietic stem cell support. Transplants recipients are expected to achieve engraftment as defined by an absolute neutrophil count of greater than or equal to 500/mm3 for three consecutive days by day 42-post infusion. Thus, safety of the treatment plan will be evaluated in terms of failure to engraft by this specific time period.

RATIONALE: Thalidomide may stop the growth of glioblastoma multiforme by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining thalidomide with irinotecan may kill any tumor cells remaining after radiation therapy. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining thalidomide with irinotecan in treating patients who have glioblastoma multiforme that has been treated with radiation therapy.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy such as boron neutron capture therapy may kill tumor cells without harming normal tissue. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of boron neutron capture therapy in treating patients who have glioblastoma multiforme or melanoma metastatic to the brain.

RATIONALE: CC-5013 may stop the growth of gliomas by stopping blood flow to the tumor. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of CC-5013 in treating patients who have recurrent glioma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to determine the effectiveness of mafosfamide in treating patients who have progressive or refractory meningeal tumors.

RATIONALE: Immunotoxins can locate tumor cells and kill them without harming normal cells. Immunotoxin therapy may be effective in treating malignant glioma. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of immunotoxin therapy before and after surgery in treating patients who have recurrent malignant glioma.