Active clinical trials for "Central Nervous System Neoplasms"

Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive surgical technique that allows for biopsy and thermal ablation of brain tumors. Pediatric patients with brain tumors who are eligible and enroll in the trial will undergo LITT at the time of diagnosis or at the time of recurrence/progression rather than undergo an open craniotomy and tumor resection/biopsy. LITT will include a stereotactic biopsy followed by thermal ablation of the tumor. This study will monitor the safety and efficacy of LITT for the treatment of pediatric brain tumors.

Phase I/II, open, prospective clinical trial, historically controlled. The objective is to evaluate the safety and, as a secondary measure, the efficacy of an experimental treatment based on a cellular therapy (vaccination with autologous dendritic cells pulsed with tumor lysate) in patients affected of metastatic or relapsed sarcomas or (Central Nervous System) CNS tumors.

RATIONALE: Cellular adoptive immunotherapy may stimulate the immune system in different ways and stop cancer cells from growing. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying the side effects of cellular adoptive immunotherapy using genetically modified T-lymphocytes and to see how well it works in treating patients with recurrent or refractory high-grade malignant glioma.

RATIONALE: Diagnostic procedures, such as MRI, may help in learning how well radiation therapy and chemotherapy work in killing tumor cells and allow doctors to plan better treatment. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying MRI scans to see how well they evaluate the effects of radiation therapy and chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme or anaplastic glioma.

RATIONALE: Temsirolimus may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Studying samples of blood and tumor tissue from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about how this treatment is used by the body. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using a microdialysis catheter to see what effect temsirolimus has on various biological substances associated with brain tumors over time.

Bevacizumab, irinotecan, and temozolomide are three agents shown to have promising activity in a variety of central nervous system tumors. No prospective studies have been published or are currently in progress within the major consortiums with this combination of drugs. Brain tumors are the second most common cause of cancer in pediatrics and the leading cause of cancer death in children. For children with High Grade Gliomas or with relapsed/refractory brain tumors, new agents in new combinations are needed. Historical data shows that newly diagnosed high grade gliomas 5 year progression free survival is 28-42%. Recurrent malignant gliomas median survival is 3-9 months. Recurrent medulloblastoma's 2 years survival is 9%. This study is a phase I study designed to provide an objective observation of toxicity and establish a maximum tolerated dose of this combination. In addition, this study will observe the response of children with relapsed or refractory central nervous system tumors.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as epothilone ZK-219477, 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 epothilone ZK-219477 works in treating patients with recurrent glioblastoma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as hydroxychloroquine and temozolomide, 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. Giving hydroxychloroquine together with temozolomide and radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of hydroxychloroquine when given together with radiation therapy and temozolomide and to see how well they work in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.

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 high-grade glioma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as irinotecan, 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. Irinotecan may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving irinotecan together with whole-brain radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of irinotecan when given together with whole-brain radiation therapy and to see how well they work in treating patients with brain metastases from solid tumors. (The study of side effects and best dose has ended as of 4/15/05)