View clinical trials related to Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma.
Filter by:This phase I/II trial studies the side effects and best dose of vorinostat and to see how well it works when given together with radiation therapy followed by maintenance therapy with vorinostat in treating younger patients with newly diagnosed diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (a brainstem tumor). Vorinostat may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving vorinostat together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells.
The aim of the study is to determine the safety of Cilengitide in combination with radiation therapy.
This is a Phase I clinical trial evaluating the combination of vandetanib and dasatinib during and after radiation therapy (RT) in children with newly diagnosed diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG).
The outcome for children with high-grade gliomas and diffuse intrinsic brainstem gliomas remains poor despite the use of multi-modal therapy with surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Currently, there are few effective treatments for the following aggressive brain tumors: glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, gliomatosis cerebri, gliosarcoma, or brainstem glioma. Surgery and radiation can generally slow down these aggressive brain tumors, but in the majority of patients, these tumors will start growing again in 6-12 months. Adding chemotherapy drugs to surgery and radiation does not clearly improve the cure rate of children with malignant gliomas. The investigators are conducting this study to see if the combination of valproic acid and bevacizumab (also known as AvastinTM) with surgery and radiation will shrink these brain tumors more effectively and improve the chance of cure.
Diffuse pontine gliomas are tumors on the pons portion of the brainstem. Their peak incidence is in children between 5 and 10 years old. Their location makes surgical resection impossible. Most patients are treated with radiation, which typically delays progression of the tumor for a median time of only about 6 months; median survival time is less than 1 year. The addition of chemotherapy has not improved the outcome. Alpha, beta, and gamma interferons have been used to treat malignant brain tumors, with mixed results. Different doses and different methods of administration have been studied. Alpha interferon is usually given in high doses 2 or 3 times a week, but it has serious side effects at these doses. Recent studies have shown that administering chemotherapy more frequently at smaller doses (metronomic) may have a better effect against the tumor. PEG-Intron(Trademark) is a form of interferon alpha combined with monomethoxy polyethylene glycol (PEG). It has a longer half-life than interferon alone, is administered once a week, and the long half-life reduces the peaks and troughs in blood levels. This study will enroll 32 patients under age 21. The primary goals of the study are to determine if there is a difference in the 2-year survival rate of patients treated with radiation alone and those treated with radiation followed by PEG-Intron(Trademark) and to define the toxicities of PEG-Intron(Trademark) in the study doses. Secondary goals are to evaluate various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques for noninvasive monitoring of changes in the brainstem and to evaluate neuropsychological function. In this study, PEG-Intron(Trademark) will be administered subcutaneously once a week at low doses (0.3 microgram per kilogram of body weight) for a 4-week cycle. The cycles will be repeated indefinitely until progression of disease or serious side effects develop. For less severe effects, the dose will be lowered and the patient may remain in the study. For more severe effects, the dose will be discontinued. Patients in the study may receive supportive medication but may not receive other forms of chemotherapy. Patients or their caregivers will be instructed in how to inject the drug. Patients and/or caregivers will be asked to maintain a diary documenting the dose, site of administration, and any side effects. The diary will be reviewed at each National Cancer Institute (NCI) visit. Patients will return to NCI before cycles 2 and 3. If there are no significant side effects, patients may then return to NCI before every other cycle, indefinitely (i.e., before cycles 5, 7, 9, etc.). Patients will undergo the following tests and procedures: - Physical examination, including neurologic exam, monthly - Complete blood count, differential, and platelet count weekly during cycle 1 and every 2 weeks thereafter if no severe side effects occur - Blood chemistries weekly during cycle 1 and every 2 weeks thereafter if no severe side effects occur - Endocrine function tests before each cycle - Urinalysis before each cycle - MRI of the brain before cycles 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and every other month; patients may also have proton magnetic spectroscopic imaging performed at the time of the MRI