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. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known which regimen of chemotherapy is more effective in treating recurrent malignant glioma. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of temozolomide alone to that of procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine in treating patients who have recurrent malignant glioma.

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as VNP40101M, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of VNP40101M in treating young patients with recurrent, progressive, or refractory primary brain tumors.

RATIONALE: AEE788 and everolimus may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth and by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Giving AEE788 together with everolimus may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of AEE788 when given together with everolimus and to see how well they work in treating patients with recurrent or relapsed glioblastoma multiforme.

RATIONALE: Specialized radiation therapy that delivers radiation directly to the area where a tumor was surgically removed may kill any remaining tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well proton beam radiation therapy works in treating young patients who have undergone biopsy or surgery for medulloblastoma or pineoblastoma.

RATIONALE: Photodynamic therapy uses a drug, such as porfimer sodium, that becomes active when it is exposed to a certain kind of light. When the drug is active, tumor cells are killed. Giving photodynamic therapy after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying two different light doses of photodynamic therapy using porfimer sodium to compare how well they work in treating patients who are undergoing surgery for recurrent malignant astrocytoma.

RATIONALE: Talabostat may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving talabostat together with temozolomide or carboplatin may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of talabostat when given together with temozolomide or carboplatin in treating young patients with relapsed or refractory brain tumors or other solid 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: Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Giving rituximab intrathecally may be an effective treatment for recurrent CNS lymphoma. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of intrathecal rituximab in treating patients with recurrent CNS lymphoma.

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 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)