Active clinical trials for "Central Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as capecitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Capecitabine may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving capecitabine together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of capecitabine when given together with radiation therapy in treating young patients with newly diagnosed, nonmetastatic brain stem glioma or high-grade glioma.

RATIONALE: Vatalanib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor and by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well vatalanib works in treating patients with recurrent or progressive meningioma.

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. Sorafenib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Bevacizumab and sorafenib may also stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Giving bevacizumab together with sorafenib may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects and how well giving bevacizumab together with sorafenib works in treating patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme.

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.

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, such as carboplatin, thiotepa, and etoposide, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy drugs and kill more tumor cells. Isotretinoin may be effective in preventing recurrence of glioma. It is not yet known which regimen of chemotherapy plus autologous stem cell transplantation with or without isotretinoin is more effective in treating recurrent high-grade glioma. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying high-dose chemotherapy or intermediate-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation to see how well it works compared to high-dose chemotherapy or intermediate-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation and isotretinoin in treating young patients with recurrent high-grade glioma.

RATIONALE: Thalidomide may stop the growth of malignant glioma by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as procarbazine, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining thalidomide with procarbazine may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving thalidomide together with procarbazine works in treating patients with recurrent or progressive malignant glioma.

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 oxaliplatin in treating children who have recurrent or refractory medulloblastoma, supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal or atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor.

RATIONALE: Radioimmunotherapy uses radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies to locate tumor cells and deliver radioactive tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. 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 intrathecal radioimmunotherapy and radiation therapy with combination chemotherapy may kill any tumor cells remaining after surgery. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining intrathecal radioimmunotherapy and radiation therapy with combination chemotherapy in treating patients who have undergone surgery for medulloblastoma.

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.