Active clinical trials for "Astrocytoma"

This pilot clinical trial compares gadobutrol with standard of care contrast agents, gadopentetate dimeglumine or gadobenate dimeglumine, before dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing patients with multiple sclerosis, grade II-IV glioma, or tumors that have spread to the brain. Gadobutrol is a type of contrast agent that may increase DCE-MRI sensitivity for the detection of tumors or other diseases of the central nervous system. It is not yet known whether gadobutrol is more effective than standard of care contrast agents before DCE-MRI in diagnosing patients with multiple sclerosis, grade II-IV glioma, or tumors that have spread to the brain.

This is a three parallel cohort, open-labeled, non-randomized, multicenter study. All three cohorts will enroll independently.

Malignant gliomas have a very poor prognosis with median survival measured in months rather than years. It is a disease in great need of novel therapeutic approaches. Based on the encouraging results of our preclinical studies which demonstrate improved efficacy without added toxicity, the paradigm of delivering a novel oncolytic adenovirus via a neural stem cell line in combination with radiation and chemotherapy is well-suited for evaluation in newly diagnosed malignant gliomas. The standard-of-care allows application of virotherapy as neoadjuvant therapy and assessment of the cooperative effects with radiation/chemotherapy without altering the standard treatment.

This phase I trial studies the side effects of vaccine therapy when given together with sargramostim in treating patients with malignant glioma. Vaccines made from survivin peptide may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. Colony-stimulating factors, such as sargramostim, may increase the number of white blood cells and platelets found in bone marrow or peripheral blood. Giving vaccine therapy and sargramostim may be a better treatment for malignant glioma.

The high-grade malignant brain tumors, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and anaplastic astrocytoma (AA), comprise the majority of all primary brain tumors in adults. This group of tumors also exhibits the most aggressive behavior, resulting in median overall survival durations of only 9-12 months for GBM, and 3-4 years for AA. Initial therapy has consisted of surgical resection, external beam radiation or both. More recently, a Phase 3 clinical published by Stupp et al in 2005 showed a benefit for using radiotherapy plus concomitant and adjuvant Temozolomide. Still, all patients experience a recurrence after first-line therapy, so improvements in both first-line and salvage therapy are critical to enhancing quality-of-life and prolonging survival. It is unknown if currently used intravenous (IV) therapies even cross the blood brain barrier (BBB). Superselective Intra-arterial Cerebral Infusion (SIACI) is a technique that can effectively increase the concentration of drug delivered to the brain while sparing the body of systemic side effects. One currently used drug called Temozolomide (Temodar) has been shown to be active in human brain tumors but its actual central nervous system (CNS) penetration is unknown. This phase I clinical research trial will test the hypothesis that following the standard 42 day Temozolomide/radiotherapy regimen, Temozolomide can be safely used by direct intracranial superselective intra-arterial cerebral infusion (SIACI) up to a dose of 250mg/m2, followed by the standard maintenance cycle of temozolomide to ultimately enhance survival of patients with newly diagnosed GBM/AA. The investigators will determine the toxicity profile and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of SIACI Temozolomide. The investigators expect that this project will provide important information regarding the utility of SIACI Temozolomide therapy for malignant gliomas, and may alter the way these drugs are delivered to our patients in the near future.

This research is being done to study the safety and utility of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) (also known as Gliolan) for identifying brain tumor tissue during surgery. The goal of this study is to determine if 5-ALA can differentiate between tumor and normal brain tissue. Sometimes, during brain surgery, the removal of tumor tissue can be difficult because the tumor can look like normal brain tissue. Studies in other countries have shown that in some brain tumors, 5-ALA can make the tumors appear brighter under ultraviolet light. This may make it easier for doctors to remove as much tumor as safely as possible from your brain. This study also hopes to see if 5-ALA can find different cell populations within the tumor that is removed and allow the researchers to better understand brain tumors. The purpose of this study is to: Find out how well 5-ALA can separate normal brain tissue from tumor tissues AND to see how well 5-ALA can find different cell populations within brain tumors Identify the amount of 5-ALA that should be taken before surgery to make the tumors glow under ultraviolet light Make sure the 5-ALA identifies tumor and not normal brain Make sure 5-ALA does not cause any side effects

Phase I dose-escalation study to characterize the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of LDE225 given orally on a daily dosing schedule in children with recurrent or refractory medulloblastoma, or other tumors potentially dependent on Hedgehog signaling pathway. Phase II study is to assess preliminary efficacy in both adult and pediatric patients with recurrent or refractory MB.

This is a Phase I study of Nanoliposomal CPT-11 in patients with Recurrent high-grade gliomas. Patients must have a histologically proven intracranial malignant glioma, which includes glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), gliosarcoma (GS), anaplastic astrocytoma (AA), anaplastic oligodendroglioma (AO), anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma (AMO), or malignant astrocytoma NOS (not otherwise specified). Patients who are wild type or heterozygous for the UGT1A1*28 gene will received Nanoliposomal CPT-11. The total anticipated accrual will be approximately 36 patients (depending upon the actual MTD). The investigators hypothesis is that this new formulation of CPT-11 will increase survival over that seen in historical controls who have recurrent gliomas because CPT-11 will be encapsulated in a liposome nanoparticle, which has been seen to reduce toxicities from the drug.

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. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Specialized radiation therapy that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Giving chemotherapy together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of temozolomide when given together with radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme or anaplastic astrocytoma.

RATIONALE: Specialized radiation therapy, such as proton beam radiation therapy, that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the best way to give proton beam radiation therapy and to see how well it works in treating patients with low grade gliomas.