Active clinical trials for "Central Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Collecting fluid from a brain tumor using a small catheter may help doctors learn how much methotrexate gets into the tumor to kill the tumor cells. It may also help doctors learn how methotrexate works in the brain and in the rest of the body. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how much methotrexate gets into the brain tumor by collecting fluid directly from the tumor through a small catheter in patients undergoing stereotactic biopsy for recurrent high-grade glioma.

Vaccines made from a person's tumor cells, such as gp96 heat shock protein-peptide complex, may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of gp96 heat shock protein-peptide complex vaccine to see how well it works in treating patients with recurrent or progressive high-grade glioma over time.

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety of the drug EPO906 that could shrink tumors when used with radiation therapy in cancer patients.

RATIONALE: ATN-161 may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving ATN-161 together with carboplatin may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of ATN-161 when given together with carboplatin and to see how well they work in treating patients with recurrent malignant glioma.

RATIONALE: Radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies, such as iodine I 131 monoclonal antibody TNT-1/B (^131I MOAB TNT-1/B), can find tumor cells and carry tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. This may be an effective treatment for glioblastoma multiforme. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of ^131I MOAB TNT-1/B in treating patients with progressive or recurrent glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as carboplatin, vincristine, and temozolomide, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This pilot study is studying giving carboplatin and vincristine together with temozolomide in treating children with progressive and/or symptomatic low-grade glioma.

RATIONALE: Brachytherapy uses radioactive material to kill cancer cells remaining after surgery. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of brachytherapy in treating patients who have recurrent malignant glioma.

RATIONALE: Chemotherapy drugs such as sirolimus use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving a chemotherapy drug before surgery may shrink the tumor so that it can be removed during surgery. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of sirolimus in treating patients who have glioblastoma multiforme that did not respond to previous radiation therapy.

RATIONALE: Thalidomide and celecoxib may stop the growth of tumor cells by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining thalidomide and celecoxib with etoposide and cyclophosphamide may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining thalidomide and celecoxib with etoposide and cyclophosphamide in treating patients who have relapsed or refractory malignant glioma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving a chemotherapy drug before surgery may shrink the tumor so that it is no longer present by conventional imaging and tumor markers from serum and cerebrospinal fluid. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Peripheral stem cell transplantation may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy drugs and kill more tumor cells. Combining different types of therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This Phase II trial is studying how well neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without surgery and with or without high dose chemotherapy and peripheral stem cell transplantation, can increase response rates prior to radiation therapy and increase progression free and overall surviving patients with newly diagnosed intracranial germ cell tumors.