Active clinical trials for "Central Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of carboxyamidotriazole and paclitaxel in treating patients with advanced solid tumors or refractory lymphomas.

RATIONALE: Dalteparin may stop the growth of cancer by stopping blood flow to the tumor and by blocking the enzymes necessary for tumor cell growth. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining dalteparin with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining dalteparin with radiation therapy in treating patients who have newly diagnosed supratentorial glioblastoma multiforme.

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: 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. Irinotecan may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects of irinotecan given together with radiation therapy followed by irinotecan and carmustine and to see how well it works in treating patients with newly-diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: Biological therapies such as gefitinib may interfere with the growth of cancer cells and slow the growth of the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining gefitinib with chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combining gefitinib with temozolomide in treating patients who have malignant primary glioma.

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.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of intrathecal or intraventricular topotecan in treating recurrent, progressive, or refractory cancer that is metastatic to the lining around the brain.

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 gallium nitrate in young patients who have malignant brain tumors, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, or refractory solid tumor.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Bone marrow or peripheral stem cell transplantation may be able to replace immune cells that were destroyed by chemotherapy used to kill tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of chemotherapy followed by autologous bone marrow or peripheral stem cell transplantation in treating patients with glioblastoma multiforme or brain stem tumors.

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of pomalidomide in treating younger patients with tumors of the brain or spine (central nervous system) that have come back or are continuing to grow. Pomalidomide may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread and may also stimulate the immune system to kill tumor cells.