Active clinical trials for "Optic Nerve Glioma"

Optic pathway glioma (OPG) can result in visual deterioration. Symptomatic patients often report deficits in visual acuity (VA), visual field, visual-evoked potentials (VEPs), strabismus, proptosis, disc swelling, and other visual/neurological problems. VA itself remains one of the most important outcome measures for OPG patients, with various studies showing strong ties of VA level to overall quality of life and well-being . Maintenance of favorable VA and vision outcomes is of paramount importance in the management of OPG. In terms of management of OPG, surgery and radiotherapy are used on a more limited basis because of location of the tumors and risk of secondary tumors, respectively. Tumor stabilization often prioritized, and chemotherapy is considered ideal for tumor stabilization in OPG, but vision is not always retained and may worsen in some cases, partially due to low radiographic efficacy and long time interval to response of the current chemotherapy regimen. In the prior study, the investigators modified the traditional carboplatin combined with vincristine regimen by increasing the dose of carboplatin and combining with an anti-angiogenic drug. Of the 15 OPG patients, objective response rate was 80% and the time to response was only 3.3 months. 8 (53%) patients experienced an improvement in visual acuity during therapy and 6 (40%) were stable, which was higher than the historical studies. This study was launched to further verify the clinical efficacy of the modified regimen and its effect on visual acuity improvement.

This is a study to determine the safety and efficacy of the drug, mebendazole, when used in combination with standard chemotherapy drugs for the treatment of pediatric brain tumors. Mebendazole is a drug used to treat infections with intestinal parasites and has a long track record of safety in humans. Recently, it was discovered that mebendazole may be effective in treating cancer as well, in particular brain tumors. Studies using both cell cultures and mouse models demonstrated that mebendazole was effective in decreasing the growth of brain tumor cells. This study focuses on the treatment of a category of brain tumors called gliomas. Low-grade gliomas are tumors arising from the glial cells of the central nervous system and are characterized by slower, less aggressive growth than that of high-grade gliomas. Some low-grade gliomas have a more aggressive biology and an increased likelihood of resistance or recurrence. Low-grade gliomas are often able to be treated by observation alone if they receive a total surgical resection. However, tumors which are only partially resected and continue to grow or cause symptoms, or those which recur following total resection require additional treatment, such as chemotherapy. Due to their more aggressive nature, pilomyxoid astrocytomas, even when totally resected, will often be treated with chemotherapy. The current first-line treatment at our institution for these low-grade gliomas involves a three-drug chemotherapy regimen of vincristine, carboplatin, and temozolomide. However, based on our data from our own historical controls, over 50% of patients with pilomyxoid astrocytomas will continue to have disease progression while on this treatment. We believe that mebendazole in combination with vincristine, carboplatin, and temozolomide may provide an additional therapeutic benefit with increased progression-free and overall survival for low-grade glioma patients, particularly for those with pilomyxoid astrocytomas. High grade gliomas are more aggressive tumors with poor prognoses. The standard therapy is radiation therapy. A variety of adjuvant chemotherapeutic combinations have been used, but with disappointing results. For high-grade gliomas this study will add mebendazole to the established combination of bevacizumab and irinotecan to determine this combinations safety and efficacy

Infantile optic pathway glioma (OPG) is generally benign and slow-growing, but due to infiltration and compression of sensitive neuronal structures in the optical pathways, progressive visual loss is a frequent and highly debilitating complication of the condition. Recently, therapeutic strategies aimed at neuroprotection in the visual pathway rather than reducing the size of the tumor have been studied. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophin that acts on peripheral and central neurons by binding with high affinity to the trkANGFR receptor, which has tyrosine kinase activity, and with low affinity to the non-selective pan-neurotrophin receptor p75NTR that regulates signaling through trkANGFR. The effect of NGF on target cells depends on the ratio of these two co-distributed receptors on the cell surface. Recently, two studies have shown that murine NGF can prevent progression of visual damage in OPG patients. These successful exploratory studies (the last of which was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study) represent a significant reference point in the field of vision loss in OPG patients and provide the basis and rationale for this study using a recombinant form of mutated NGF, painless NGF (CHF6467), which is anticipated to prove devoid of adverse effects related to pain at therapeutic doses. The purpose of this randomised study is to assess the safety and efficacy of multiple doses of painless NGF CHF6467 eye drops on the visual function of children or young adults with optic pathway gliomas, whether or not associated with type 1 neurofibromatosis. This study will include serial assessments of both optical pathway functionality and morphology, using electrophysiological and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques of the brain. The comparator will be a placebo preparation based on a physiologically balanced salt solution. This comparator has no effect on retinal function and optic nerve, is painless and perfectly tolerated, as reported by numerous clinical studies including that of our group.

Phase I and II study of the MEK inhibitor Selumetinib given twice daily on 5 out of 7 days in children with NF1 and inoperable plexiform neurofibromas or progressive/relapsed optic pathway gliomas. This study will test the early and late toxicities of selumetinib when it is given in this intermittent schedule (in 5 out of 7 days) and will also test the effectiveness of the drug in reducing the size of plexiform neurofibromas and optic pathway gliomas in children with NF1. It will also test the effectiveness of the drug in improving the participants function in day to day life.

By employing a combination of advanced MRI techniques and correlative serum biomarkers of blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption, the investigators plan to develop a powerful, first of its kind clinical algorithm in pediatrics whereby the investigators can measure and identify the window of maximal BBB disruption post MLA to 1) allow for an alternative to surgery in incompletely resected tumors, 2) allow for optimal chemotherapeutic dosing to achieve the greatest benefits and the least systemic side effects and 3) distinguish subsequent tumor progression from long-term MLA treatment effects. Preliminary data in adult imaging studies have shown that the BBB disruption lasts for several weeks following treatment before returning to a low baseline. This pilot therapeutic study will provide preliminary validation in pediatric patients.

This pilot phase II trial studies how well selumetinib works in treating patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 and cutaneous neurofibromas. Selumetinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.

This phase I/II trial studies the side effects and the best dose of selumetinib and how well it works in treating or re-treating young patients with low grade glioma that has come back (recurrent) or does not respond to treatment (refractory). Selumetinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.

The first proton therapy treatments in the Netherlands have taken place in 2018. Due to the physical properties of protons, proton therapy has tremendous potential to reduce the radiation dose to the healthy, tumour-surrounding tissues. In turn, this leads to less radiation-induced complications, and a decrease in the formation of secondary tumours. The Netherlands has spearheaded the development of the model-based approach (MBA) for the selection of patients for proton therapy when applied to prevent radiation-induced complications. In MBA, a pre-treatment in-silico planning study is done, comparing proton and photon treatment plans in each individual patient, to determine (1) whether there is a significant difference in dose in the relevant organs at risk (ΔDose), and (2) whether this dose difference translates into an expected clinical benefit in terms of NormalTissue Complication Probabilities (ΔNTCP). To translate ΔDose into ΔNTCP, NTCP-models are used, which are prediction models describing the relation between dose parameters and the likelihood of radiation-induced complications. The Dutch Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (NVRO) setup the selection criteria for proton therapy in 2015, taking into account toxicity and NTCP. However, NTCP-models can be affected by changes in the irradiation technique. Therefore, it is paramount to continuously update and validate these NTCP-models in subsequent patient cohorts treated with new techniques. In ProTRAIT, a Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR)data infrastructure for both clinical and 3D image and 3D dose information has been developed and deployed for proton therapy in the Netherlands. It allows for a prospective, standardized, multi-centric data from all Dutch proton and a representative group of photon therapy patients.

Background: Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder in which patients are at increased risk of developing tumors (usually non-cancerous) of the central and peripheral nervous system. The disease affects essentially every organ system. The natural course of NFI over time is poorly understood. For most patients the only treatment option is surgery. A better understanding of NF1 may be helpful for the design of future treatment studies. Objectives: To evaluate people with NF1 over 10 years in order to better understand the natural history of the disease. To characterize the patient population and to examine how NFI affects patients quality of life and function. Eligibility: Children, adolescents, and adults with NF1. Design: Participants have a comprehensive baseline evaluation including genetic testing, tumor imaging, pain and quality-of-life assessments, and neuropsychological, motor and endocrine evaluations. Patients are monitored every 6 months to every 3 years, depending on their individual findings at the baseline study. Tests may include the following, as appropriate: Medical history, physical examination and blood tests. Whole body and face photography to monitor visible deformities. Neuropsychological testing, quality-of-life evaluations, motor function tests, endocrinologic evaluations, heart and lung function tests, hearing tests, bone density scans and other bone evaluations. MRI and PET scans to detect and assess plexiform neurofibromas (tumors that arise from nerves and can cause serious problems), paraspinal neurofibromas (tumors that arise from nerves around the spine and can cause problems by compressing the spinal cord), and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (a type of cancer that arises from a peripheral nerve or involves the sheath covering the nerve). Eye exams, MRI scans and PET scans to evaluate optic pathway gliomas (tumors arising from the vision nerves or the brain areas for vision) and the chemicals within the tumor and brain. Eye exams and photographs to evaluate the development of Lisch nodules (non-cancerous tumors on the eye). Photographs of dermal neurofibromas (tumors of the skin), cafe-au-lait spots (dark or pigmented areas on the skin that are often the first signs of NF1) and other skin problems. Pain evaluations to monitor the different types of pain patients experience, causes of the pain, how often the pain occurs, effect of the pain on quality of life, and what pain medications and alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, are effective.

This is a phase II study of the drug, pegylated interferon alfa-2b (PEG-Intron), used to treat brain tumors in a pediatric population. Researchers want to see if treatment with PEG-Intron will stop tumor growth for patients with juvenile pilocytic astrocytomas or optic pathway gliomas. The purposes of this study are: To learn more about the response to pegylated interferon To learn more about the side effects of pegylated interferon To learn more about MRI images in patients with Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytomas or Optic Pathway Gliomas. To learn more about quality of life in patients treated with pegylated interferon