View clinical trials related to Brain Neoplasms.
Filter by:This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of lenalidomide in treating young patients with recurrent, progressive, or refractory CNS tumors. Lenalidomide may stop the growth of CNS tumors by blocking blood flow to the tumor. It may also stimulate the immune system in different ways and stop tumor cells from growing.
The purpose of this study is to compare the safety and efficacy of XERECEPT® to dexamethasone (Decadron) a common treatment for symptoms of brain swelling (edema). This study is specifically aimed at patients who require chronic high doses of dexamethasone to manage symptoms.
RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs such as temozolomide may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Combining temozolomide with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving temozolomide together with whole-brain radiation therapy works in treating patients with brain metastasis secondary to non-small cell lung cancer.
The purpose of this study is to find out about the safety of adding the investigational drug motexafin gadolinium to a standard course of chemotherapy with temozolomide for patients with malignant glioma. Secondly, the study will determine how many patients will respond to this treatment.
This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of erlotinib when given with temozolomide in treating young patients with recurrent or refractory solid tumors. Erlotinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving erlotinib with temozolomide may kill more tumor cells.
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate improvement in overall survival for the combination of whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) plus temozolomide (TMZ) versus WBRT alone. Secondary objective is to demonstrate an improvement in the time to radiological CNS progression with the addition of TMZ to WBRT.
This study will compare the effectiveness of craniotomy to that of stereotactic surgery (SRS) for the treatment of metastatic brain tumors - tumors that first develop elsewhere in the body and then travel to the brain. Craniotomy is surgical removal of the tumors through an operation. SRS consists of highly focused radiation doses to the tumors. Neither treatment is experimental and both have shown benefits to patients with metastatic brain tumors. This study will determine whether one treatment is superior to the other in prolonging patient survival. Patients 21 years of age and older with one to three metastatic brain tumors may be eligible for this study. Participants will have a medical history and physical examination, blood and urine tests, an electrocardiogram, and chest x-ray. They will then be randomly assigned to undergo either surgery or SRS. Before either procedure, patients will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. MRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to obtain images of the brain. Patients scheduled for SRS will have a computed tomography (CT) scan in addition to the MRI. CT uses X-rays to obtain images of the brain. During the CT, a contrast agent is injected through an IV tube placed in a vein to enhance the CT images. For both the MRI and CT tests, the patient lies on a table that slides into a cylindrical scanner. The MRI usually lasts between 45 and 90 minutes, while the CT scan lasts for about 30 to 60 minutes. Patients scheduled for surgery will have general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation. They will be in intensive care after the surgery until their condition is stable. Before being discharged home, they will have another MRI scan. The surgical sutures or staples will be removed 7 to 10 days after surgery. Patients scheduled for SRS will have their scalp numbed with medicine and their head will be placed in a head frame. A CT scan will be done on the morning of the procedure to plan the treatment. Around noon, the treatment, which consists of brief exposures to radiation, will be administered with the patient positioned comfortably on a treatment couch. The treatment will be completed in 1 to 2 hours, after which the head frame will be removed. After a brief period of observation, the patient will be discharged home. Patients will return to NIH for follow-up visits within 4 weeks after surgery or SRS and then every 3 months after that for a medical history, physical examination, and MRI scan, and to complete a quality of life questionnaire.
This study in children and young adults will compare two types of imaging, positron emission tomography ([(18)F]-DG PET) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRSI), to determine activity of a brain tumor or abnormal tissue in the brain following treatment for a brain tumor. Children with brain tumors are generally followed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to evaluate response to treatment. However, because MRI only provides information on the structure of the brain, it may difficult to tell if an abnormal finding is due to tumor, swelling, scar tissue, or dead tissue. (1)H-MRSI and [(18)F]-DG PET, on the other hand, provide information on the metabolic activity of brain lesions. These two methods will be compared and evaluated for their ability to provide important additional information on childhood brain tumors. Patients between 1 and 21 years of age with a brain tumor or brain tissue abnormality following treatment for a brain tumor may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a medical history and physical examination, pregnancy test in women who are able to become pregnant, and a blood test for glucose. Participants will undergo the following procedures: (1)H-MRSI - This test is similar to MRI and is done in the same scanning machine. In MRI, scans of the brain are obtained by applying a strong magnetic field and then collecting the signals released from water after the magnetic field is changed. Pictures of the brain are then obtained by computer analysis of these signals. In (1)H-MRSI, the computer blocks the signal from water to get information on brain chemicals that can indicate whether an abnormality is tumor or dead tissue. Both MRI and MRI and (1)H-MRSI are done in this study. For these tests, the child lies on a stretcher that moves into the scanner - a narrow metal cylinder with a strong magnetic field. The child's head is placed in a headrest to prevent movement during the scan. He or she will hear loud thumping noises caused by the electrical switching of the magnetic field. A contrast agent is given through an intravenous (IV) catheter (plastic tube placed in an arm vein) or through a central line if one is in place. The contrast material brightens the images to provide a clearer picture of abnormalities. Children who have difficulty holding still or being in a scanning machine are given medications by an anesthesiologist to make them sleep through the procedure. Children who are awake during the procedure can communicate with the MRI technician at all times and ask to be removed from the scanner at any time. The MRI and (1)H-MRSI take 1-1/2 to 2 hours to complete. [(18)F]-DG PET - For this test, [(18)F]-DG (a radioactive form of glucose) is injected into the patient's arm vein through a catheter, followed by the PET scan, similar to a very open MRI scan without the noise. The PET scan tells how active the patient's tumor is by tracking the radioactive glucose. All cells use glucose, but cells with increased metabolism, such as cancer cells, use more glucose than normal cells. After the glucose injection, the patient lies quietly in a darkened room for 30 minutes, after which he or she is asked to urinate to help reduce the dose of radiation to the bladder. Then, the scan begins. When the scan is finished (after about 1 hour), the child is asked to urinate again and then every 3 to 4 hours for the rest of the day. Patients remain in the study for 2 years unless they withdraw, become pregnant, or require sedation but can no longer use an anesthetic. MRI and 1H-MRSI scans may be repeated every few months during the study period, if necessary. Only one PET scan is done each year.
This study will use light scattering spectroscopy (LSS) to analyze brain tissue removed from patients during brain surgery to determine if this new technology can be used to differentiate between normal and cancerous cells. LSS focuses light on cells or tissues, and the way that light is reflected back from the tissues provides information about the size of cells and the density of the cell nuclei (the part of the cell that contains the genes). Patients between 18 and 75 years of age with a known or suspected brain tumor and patients with temporal lobe epilepsy that does not respond to medication may be eligible for this study. (Examination of tissue from patients with epilepsy will allow comparison of tumor and non-tumor brain cells.) All patients must require surgery to treat their condition. Participants will be admitted to the Clinical Center for 3 to 10 days for physical and neurological examinations, blood and urine tests, and other tests needed to prepare for surgery. They will then undergo surgery. A small amount of tissue removed during surgery for pathological review will be collected for use in this study. Half of the tissue will be examined using LSS to help determine the size of the cell and its nucleus. Studies will be done to measure how many of the cells are actively dividing and which proteins are expressed more often in tumor cells compared with normal cells. This information may shed light on how tumor cells are different from normal cells. Participants may be contacted for up to 3 years to follow their health status.
RATIONALE: Cyproheptadine and megestrol may improve appetite and help prevent weight loss in children with cancer. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well cyproheptadine and megestrol work in improving appetite and preventing weight loss in children with cachexia caused by cancer or cancer treatment.