Active clinical trials for "Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as VNP40101M, 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 and best dose of VNP40101M in treating young patients with recurrent, progressive, or refractory primary brain tumors.

RATIONALE: AEE788 and 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 AEE788 together with everolimus may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of AEE788 when given together with everolimus and to see how well they work in treating patients with recurrent or relapsed glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: Specialized radiation therapy that delivers radiation directly to the area where a tumor was surgically removed may kill any remaining tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well proton beam radiation therapy works in treating young patients who have undergone biopsy or surgery for medulloblastoma or pineoblastoma.

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Erlotinib 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. It may also make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving radiation therapy together with erlotinib may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of erlotinib when given together with radiation therapy and to see how well they work in treating young patients with newly diagnosed glioma.

RATIONALE: Photodynamic therapy uses a drug, such as porfimer sodium, that becomes active when it is exposed to a certain kind of light. When the drug is active, tumor cells are killed. Giving photodynamic therapy after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying two different light doses of photodynamic therapy using porfimer sodium to compare how well they work in treating patients who are undergoing surgery for recurrent malignant astrocytoma.

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. It is not yet known which regimen of chemotherapy is more effective in treating recurrent malignant glioma. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of temozolomide alone to that of procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine in treating patients who have recurrent malignant 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. Thalidomide may stop the growth of cancer by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Combining whole-brain radiation therapy with thalidomide and temozolomide may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining whole-brain radiation therapy with thalidomide and temozolomide in treating patients who have newly diagnosed brain metastases.

RATIONALE: Specialized radiation therapy that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving chemotherapy before surgery may shrink the tumor so that it can be removed during surgery. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to determine the effectiveness of specialized radiation therapy either alone or after chemotherapy and second surgery in treating children who have undergone surgery for localized ependymoma.

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 study the effectiveness of taurolidine in treating patients who have recurrent or progressive glioma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy 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 ixabepilone in treating young patients with relapsed or refractory solid tumors or leukemia.