View clinical trials related to Ependymoma.
Filter by:The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if the combination of bevacizumab and carboplatin can help to control recurrent ependymoma. The safety of this drug combination will also be studied.
Some patients with brain tumors receive standard radiation to help prevent tumor growth. Although standard radiation kills tumor cells, it can also damage normal tissue in the process and lead to more side effects. This research study is looking at a different form of radiation called proton radiotherapy which helps spare normal tissues while delivering radiation to the tumor or tumor bed. Proton techniques irradiate 2-3 times less normal tissue then standard radiation. This therapy has been used in treatment of other cancers and information from those other research studies suggests that this therapy may help better target brain tumors then standard radiation.
Background: - An important new area of brain tumor research is the development of tumor and brain stem cell lines. Successful growth of these cell lines requires obtaining large volumes of fresh tumor and brain tissue, which is best accomplished by harvesting whole brains from recently deceased patients. These cell lines will help researchers understand how these tumors develop and will also help identify new targets for treatment. Researchers are interested in conducting a pilot study of planned inpatient hospice care with timely brain tumor tissue harvest at the time of death. Objectives: - To provide high-quality end of life inpatient hospice care for patients with untreatable brain tumors. - To procure brain and tumor tissue shortly after time of death in order to derive viable tumor and neural stem cell lines for research purposes. Eligibility: - Individuals at least 18 years of age who have an untreatable primary brain or central nervous system tumor, are able to give informed consent (either their own or through a designated power of attorney), and have agreed to a Do Not Resuscitate order and Consent for Autopsy as part of the end-of-life care plan. - HIV-positive individuals or those suspected of having infectious cerebritis are not eligible because of the potential for contamination of brain tissue. Design: - Participants will be enrolled in inpatient hospice admission to the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center either from home or from an outside hospital once a study investigator estimates an expected survival of less than 2 weeks. - Participants will receive palliative care at the Clinical Center. Care will be tailored to each participant depending on the information provided in the individual's end-of-life care plan. - Supportive medications such as antiseizure medications and pain relievers will be administered as appropriate. - At the time of death, researchers will follow standard procedures for notifying next of kin and will collect brain tissue and tumor samples from the deceased. - Following tissue collection, the deceased will be released for autopsy and funeral procedures.
Participants that were assigned to the oral etoposide treatment arm in protocol OSI-774-205 and either progressed while on study or discontinued due to unacceptable toxicity related to etoposide were allowed to participate in this study to assess the safety profile of single-agent erlotinib in participants with recurrent or refractory pediatric ependymoma.
This clinical trial studies yoga therapy in treating patients with malignant brain tumors. Yoga therapy may improve the quality of life of patients with brain tumors
RATIONALE: Bafetinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. PURPOSE: This clinical trial studies bafetinib in treating patients with recurrent high-grade glioma or brain metastases.
This is a single center Phase I study to determine the safety and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of autologous dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with allogeneic brain tumor stem cells administered as a vaccination in children and adults with recurrent brain tumors. Once the MTD has been determined, we will conduct a phase II study to determine efficacy. Clinical trials that utilize DCs for immunotherapy have demonstrated significant survival benefit for patients who exhibit robust immune responses against tumor cells. Unfortunately, at the present time the majority of tumor patients are unable to mount an adequate immune response and thus succumb to their tumors. We postulate that the inability to generate an appropriate immune response in these patients is due to a lack of sufficient numbers of appropriate T cells due to an inadequate source of tumor antigens.
RATIONALE: New imaging procedures, such as fluorine F 18 fluorodopa-labeled PET scan, may help in guiding surgery and radiation therapy and allow doctors to plan better treatment. PURPOSE: This clinical trial studies fluorine F 18 fluorodopa-labeled PET scan in planning surgery and radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed high- or low-grade malignant glioma
This phase I clinical trial is studying the side effects and best dose of giving gamma-secretase inhibitor RO4929097 and cediranib maleate together in treating patients with advanced solid tumors. Gamma-secretase inhibitor RO4929097 and cediranib maleate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Cediranib maleate also may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor.
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. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well bevacizumab works in treating patients with recurrent or progression meningiomas.