View clinical trials related to Central Nervous System Tumors.
Filter by:Studies have provided evidence that residual microscopic malignant cells in autologous bone marrow or blood stem cell grafts can contribute to posttransplant relapse. Researchers are currently exploring different methods in an attempt to purify or "purge" the stem cell product to minimize the risk of tumor contamination. The CD133+ antigen is a protein contained on or "expressed" on numerous cells in the human body including specific hematopoietic progenitor (blood forming) cells. However, this antigen is not expressed on certain cancer cells including neuroblastoma. A technique using the investigational CliniMACS cell sorting device has been developed in an effort to filter out only those stem cells that express this CD133+ antigen in order to infuse a hematopoietic stem cell product with no tumor contamination potential. The primary objective of this study is to establish safety of treating patients with a high dose chemotherapy regimen of Busulfan and Melphalan followed by autologous CD133+ hematopoietic stem cell support. Transplants recipients are expected to achieve engraftment as defined by an absolute neutrophil count of greater than or equal to 500/mm3 for three consecutive days by day 42-post infusion. Thus, safety of the treatment plan will be evaluated in terms of failure to engraft by this specific time period.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide and topotecan, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving temozolomide together with topotecan works in treating patients with primary CNS lymphoma.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as topotecan, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Colony-stimulating factors, such as G-CSF, may increase the number of immune cells found in bone marrow or peripheral blood and may help the immune system recover from the side effects of chemotherapy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Topotecan may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy . Giving topotecan and G-CSF together with radiation therapy may be an effective treatment for brain stem glioma. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of topotecan when given together with G-CSF and radiation therapy and to see how well they work in treating young patients with newly diagnosed brain stem glioma.
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.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving a chemotherapy drug before surgery may shrink the tumor so that it is no longer present by conventional imaging and tumor markers from serum and cerebrospinal fluid. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Peripheral stem cell transplantation may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy drugs and kill more tumor cells. Combining different types of therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This Phase II trial is studying how well neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without surgery and with or without high dose chemotherapy and peripheral stem cell transplantation, can increase response rates prior to radiation therapy and increase progression free and overall surviving patients with newly diagnosed intracranial germ cell tumors.
RATIONALE: Electroacupuncture may help to reduce or prevent delayed nausea and vomiting in patients treated with chemotherapy. PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying the effectiveness of electroacupuncture in treating delayed nausea and vomiting in patients who are receiving chemotherapy for newly diagnosed childhood sarcoma, neuroblastoma, nasopharyngeal cancer, germ cell tumors, or Hodgkin lymphoma.
RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells, but also damages normal cells in the developing brains of children. Combining low-dose radiation therapy in combination with chemotherapy should be effective in treating medulloblastoma while avoiding the long-term side effects of giving higher dose radiation to children with newly diagnosed average risk medulloblastoma.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of temozolomide in treating patients who have leptomeningeal metastases from a solid tumor or lymphoma.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining more than one drug with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of vincristine plus etoposide and radiation therapy in treating children who have newly diagnosed brain stem glioma.
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining more than one chemotherapy drug with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy plus radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed brain stem glioma.