Active clinical trials for "Central Nervous System Neoplasms"

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use 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. Combining radiation therapy with chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of etoposide plus radiation therapy followed by combination chemotherapy in treating children with newly diagnosed advanced medulloblastoma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use 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. Combining more than one drug with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy plus radiation therapy in treating patients who have newly diagnosed anaplastic astrocytoma.

RATIONALE: Boron neutron capture therapy may selectively kill tumor cells without harming normal tissue. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of boron neutron capture therapy following surgery in treating patients with glioblastoma multiforme removed during surgery.

RATIONALE: Inserting the gene for adenovirus p53 into a person's tumor may improve the body's ability to fight cancer. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of gene therapy in treating patients who have recurrent malignant gliomas.

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 temozolomide in treating patients who have recurrent malignant glioma.

RATIONALE: SU5416 may stop the growth of astrocytoma or glioma by stopping blood flow to the tumor. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to study the effectiveness of SU5416 in treating patients who have recurrent astrocytoma or mixed glioma that has not responded to previous radiation therapy.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug and giving drugs in different ways may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of O6-benzylguanine and implanted carmustine wafers in treating patients who have recurrent 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 acridine carboxamide in treating patients who have recurrent glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: 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. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of radiation therapy followed by carmustine in treating patients who have supratentorial glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as carboplatin and vincristine, 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. Combining carboplatin and vincristine with radiation therapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy plus radiation therapy followed adjuvant chemotherapy in treating young patients who have newly diagnosed high-risk CNS embryonal tumors.