View clinical trials related to Ependymoma.
Filter by:This phase I trial investigates the side effects and effectiveness of chemotherapy followed by a donor (allogeneic) stem cell transplant when given to patients with high grade brain cancer. Chemotherapy drugs, such as fludarabine, thiotepa, etoposide, melphalan, and rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving chemotherapy before a donor stem cell transplant helps kill cancer cells in the body and helps make room in the patient's bone marrow for new blood-forming cells (stem cells) to grow. When the healthy stem cells from a donor are infused into a patient, they may help the patient's bone marrow make more healthy cells and platelets and may help destroy any remaining cancer cells.
This phase I trial studies the side effects of a silicone topical wound dressing (StrataXRT) and to see how well it works in preventing radiation dermatitis (skin burns and side effects caused by radiation) in pediatric patients undergoing radiation therapy. StrataXRT may help prevent or decrease severe skin rash, pain, itching, skin peeling, and dry skin in pediatric patients undergoing radiation therapy to the brain or spinal cord.
The investigators hypothesize that this study will show that sufficient lymphocyte stem cell can be harvested prior chemoradiation and be reinfused back after treatment, and at least 5 of the 10 patients (50%) will achieve an absolute increase of lymphocyte counts of 300 cells/mm^3 four weeks after stem cell reinfusion in high grade glioma patients.
This study proposes to treat patients with the combination of erlotinib and temozolomide. Patients with relapsed, recurrent, refractory, or high risk malignancies whose tumors possess a non-synonymous mutation in EGFR, ERBB2, or JAK2V617F (JAK2) will be eligible for the study. Very few phase 2 clinical trials have been performed in pediatrics using targeted agents in combination with conventional chemotherapy agents. Furthermore, since some combinations such as the combination of this study (erlotinib and temozolomide) have shown additive/synergistic effects in preclinical studies, therapy selecting for those patients who possess mutations targeted by the TKI of the study, may unveil activity that has not been previously observed. Thus, the investigators hope to determine whether the addition of additive/synergistic chemotherapy will increase efficacy of target agent and/or increase tumor susceptibility to targeted agent resulting in increased anti-tumor activity.
This pilot clinical trial studies gallium Ga 68-edotreotide (68Ga-DOTATOC) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in finding brain tumors in younger patients. Diagnostic procedures, such as gallium Ga 68-edotreotide PET/CT imaging, may help find and diagnose brain tumors.
Background: - Children with brain tumors often have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to see if the tumor has responded to therapy or to see if the tumor has grown. Sometimes, it is difficult to tell if the scan is abnormal because of tumor size or shape, swelling, scar tissue, or dead tissue. Because brain tumor biopsies require surgery, researchers are looking for more noninvasive ways of evaluating brain tumors. - Positron emission tomography (PET) scans use a radioactive sugar known as 18F-FDG to try to determine if a tumor is active or not. Active tumors generally take up more sugar than the surrounding tissue, but because normal brain tissue uses the same sugar as brain tumors, it is then difficult to tell if tumor tissue is taking up sugar or not. A different radioactive agent, 18F-FLT, is now being studied in some adults with different kinds of tumors. Researchers are interested in determining whether it is possible to use this agent as a marker of tumor activity in children. Objectives: - To determine the safety and effectiveness of 18F-FLT for pediatric glioma scans. - To compare the results of 18F-FLT studies with studies using the radioactive agents 18F-FDG and 1H-MRSI. Eligibility: - Children less than 18 years of age who are having radiation therapy to treat malignant gliomas. Design: - Participants will have scanning tests before radiation therapy, 1 to 3 weeks after radiation therapy, and if researchers suspect that the tumor is growing. - This study will involve three separate imaging tests (1H-MRSI, 18F-FDG PET, and 18F-FLT PET). - Proton spectroscopy (1H-MRSI) is a procedure that is similar to MRI and is performed in the same scanner as an MRI. Because this scan is long (2-3 hours), most children will receive medications from an anesthesiologist so that they can sleep through the procedure. - Within 2 weeks of the 1H-MRSI scan, participants will have the PET scans with both the standard contrast agent (18F-FDG) and the experimental agent (18F-FLT). These scans will last approximately 1 hour each.
Primary Objective: - The primary objective is to evaluate the efficacy of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of malignant intracranial tumors. Secondary Objective: - The secondary objective is to evaluate the safety of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of malignant intracranial tumors.