Active clinical trials for "Central Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Giving an infusion of natural killer cells from a donor after a donor stem cell transplant may help kill any remaining cancer cells after the transplant. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of donor natural killer cells when given after a donor stem cell transplant in treating patients with advanced cancer.

RATIONALE: Vaccines made from peptides and a person's dendritic cells may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of vaccine therapy in treating patients with malignant glioma.

In spite of numerous advances in neuroimaging techniques, the diagnosis of pediatric brain tumors relies on the pathologic evaluation of material obtained at the time of the initial operation. While 18F-FDG-positron emission tomography (PET) helps identify higher-grade lesions due to their increased glucose metabolism, the high tracer uptake of the normal adjacent brains makes this modality of limited value. Fluorine-18 fluorothymidine (FLT) is a new imaging agent that has two significant advantages in the imaging of CNS tumors. First, this agent detects cellular proliferation directly, and second, the normal brain does not take up the agent, making a positive area(s) easy to identify. Before embarking on a large pediatric disease stratified assessment of FLT imaging in pediatric neurooncology patients, the investigators are proposing a limited patient pilot study to evaluate the biodistribution, dosimetry and specificity of this compound when compared to immunohistochemical assessment of mitotic activity in newly diagnosed patients undergoing surgical resection.

RATIONALE: Imetelstat sodium may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. PURPOSE: This phase I clinical trial is studying the side effects and best dose of imetelstat sodium in treating young patients with refractory or recurrent solid tumors or lymphoma.

RATIONALE: Olaparib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Olaparib may help temozolomide kill more tumor cells by making tumor cells more sensitive to the drug. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of olaparib and temozolomide in treating patients with relapsed glioblastoma.

RATIONALE: Radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies, such as iodine I 131 monoclonal antibody 3F8, can find tumor cells and carry tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. This may be an effective treatment for central nervous system cancer or leptomeningeal metastases. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects and how well iodine I 131 monoclonal antibody 3F8 works in treating patients with central nervous system cancer or leptomeningeal cancer.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as tetra-O-methyl nordihydroguaiaretic acid (EM-1421), work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of EM-1421 and to see how well it works in treating patients with recurrent high-grade glioma.

These are Phase 2 single-arm studies of gemcitabine in combination with oxaliplatin in refractory or relapsing pediatric solid tumors.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well temozolomide works in treating patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme or other malignant glioma.

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Bevacizumab may also stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well bevacizumab works in treating patients with recurrent or progressive glioma.