View clinical trials related to Central Nervous System Neoplasms.
Filter by:RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. 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. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells. Motexafin gadolinium may make cancer cells more sensitive to radiation therapy and combination chemotherapy. Giving motexafin gadolinium together with chemotherapy, rituximab, and radiation therapy may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects of giving motexafin gadolinium together with combination chemotherapy, rituximab, and whole-brain radiation therapy and to see how well it works in treating patients with newly diagnosed primary central nervous system lymphoma.
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: Methadone, morphine, or oxycodone may help relieve pain caused by cancer. It is not yet known whether methadone is more effective than morphine or oxycodone in treating pain in patients with cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying methadone to see how well it works compared with morphine or oxycodone in treating pain in patients with cancer.
RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as arsenic trioxide and temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Arsenic trioxide and temozolomide may also make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving radiation therapy together with combination chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of arsenic trioxide when given together with temozolomide and radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed high-grade glioma.
RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Bevacizumab may also stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Erlotinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving bevacizumab together with erlotinib may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving bevacizumab together with erlotinib works after radiation therapy and temozolomide in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme or gliosarcoma.
RATIONALE: Sodium thiosulfate may reduce or prevent hearing loss in young patients receiving cisplatin for cancer. It is not yet known whether sodium thiosulfate is more effective than no additional treatment in preventing hearing loss. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying sodium thiosulfate to see how well it works in preventing hearing loss in young patients receiving cisplatin for newly diagnosed germ cell tumor, hepatoblastoma, medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, or other malignancy.
RATIONALE: Gathering information about how young patients with ependymoma respond to standard combination chemotherapy and learning about the long-term effects of this treatment may help doctors plan better treatment. PURPOSE: This phase III trial is observing young patients with ependymoma undergoing standard combination chemotherapy.
RATIONALE: An Opioid Titration Order Sheet that allows healthcare providers to adjust the dose and schedule of pain medication may help improve pain treatment for patients with cancer. It is not yet known whether the use of an Opioid Titration Order Sheet is more effective than standard care in treating pain caused by cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying an Opioid Titration Order Sheet to see how well it works compared with standard care in treating patients with cancer pain.
In spite of numerous advances in neuroimaging techniques, the diagnosis of pediatric brain tumors relies on the pathologic evaluation of material obtained at the time of the initial operation. While 18F-FDG-positron emission tomography (PET) helps identify higher-grade lesions due to their increased glucose metabolism, the high tracer uptake of the normal adjacent brains makes this modality of limited value. Fluorine-18 fluorothymidine (FLT) is a new imaging agent that has two significant advantages in the imaging of CNS tumors. First, this agent detects cellular proliferation directly, and second, the normal brain does not take up the agent, making a positive area(s) easy to identify. Before embarking on a large pediatric disease stratified assessment of FLT imaging in pediatric neurooncology patients, the investigators are proposing a limited patient pilot study to evaluate the biodistribution, dosimetry and specificity of this compound when compared to immunohistochemical assessment of mitotic activity in newly diagnosed patients undergoing surgical resection.
RATIONALE: Testosterone gel may be effective in preventing or lessening muscle weakness caused by steroid therapy in men receiving glucocorticoids for newly diagnosed high-grade glioma. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying how well testosterone gel works in preventing weakness caused by steroid therapy in men receiving glucocorticoids for newly diagnosed high-grade glioma.