View clinical trials related to Neurofibroma, Plexiform.
Filter by:Background: - Plexiform neurofibromas are tumors that grow in and around nerves. The only way to treat them is with surgery. Some of these tumors cannot be completely removed. The tumors may be too large, too numerous, or in a bad location for surgery. An experimental drug called AZD6244 hydrogen sulfate may be able to prevent the tumors from growing, slow down their growth, or shrink them. This drug has been tested in adults with cancer and in children with some types of brain cancer. This study will test how well this drug works with these types of tumors. Objectives: - To study the safety and effectiveness of AZD6244 hydrogen sulfate in children and young adults with plexiform neurofibromas that cannot be completely removed by surgery. Eligibility: - Children and young adults between 12 and 18 years of age who have plexiform neurofibromas that cannot be completely removed by surgery. Design: - Patients will be screened with a physical exam, medical history, blood tests, and imaging studies. - They will take the study drug twice a day with 8 ounces of water, every day for 28-day cycles of treatment. During study visits, participants will have blood and urine tests and physical exams. They will also have imaging studies to examine the tumor sizes and locations. They will answer questions about their health. They may have other tests as needed. - Participants will continue to receive the study drug as long as they have no severe side effects and the disease is not getting worse.
This is a second Pilot Study to determine the efficacy of Gleevec® in neurofibromatosis (NF1) patients with plexiform neurofibromas using new response assessment modalities with the secondary goals of assessing Gleevec toxicity, and characterizing markers of response. The rationale for this study arises from the response of human and murine NF1 cells to Gleevec® in vitro, the response of a NF1 patient treated with Gleevec® for airway compression by a plexiform neurofibroma with a dramatic response not previously seen in NF1 therapy, and the experience in 37 NF1 patients treated with Gleevec® in the initial pilot study. Gleevec will be dosed orally with a starting dose of 100 mg twice daily for patients with a BSA > 1.8 m2 or 55 mg/m2 twice daily for patients with BSA < 1.8 m2. For patients with a BSA > 1.8 m2 the dose will increase by increments of 100 mg bid every two weeks as tolerated up to a maximum dose of 400 mg bid. For patients with a BSA < 1.8 m2 the dose will increase by increments of 55 mg/m2 bid every two weeks as tolerated up to a maximum dose of 220 mg/m2 bid. Treatment will continue for 6 months with an option to continue for 24 months if the patient is deriving a clinical benefit.
Background: Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder in which patients are at increased risk of developing tumors (usually non-cancerous) of the central and peripheral nervous system. The disease affects essentially every organ system. The natural course of NFI over time is poorly understood. For most patients the only treatment option is surgery. A better understanding of NF1 may be helpful for the design of future treatment studies. Objectives: To evaluate people with NF1 over 10 years in order to better understand the natural history of the disease. To characterize the patient population and to examine how NFI affects patients quality of life and function. Eligibility: Children, adolescents, and adults with NF1. Design: Participants have a comprehensive baseline evaluation including genetic testing, tumor imaging, pain and quality-of-life assessments, and neuropsychological, motor and endocrine evaluations. Patients are monitored every 6 months to every 3 years, depending on their individual findings at the baseline study. Tests may include the following, as appropriate: - Medical history, physical examination and blood tests. - Whole body and face photography to monitor visible deformities. - Neuropsychological testing, quality-of-life evaluations, motor function tests, endocrinologic evaluations, heart and lung function tests, hearing tests, bone density scans and other bone evaluations. - MRI and PET scans to detect and assess plexiform neurofibromas (tumors that arise from nerves and can cause serious problems), paraspinal neurofibromas (tumors that arise from nerves around the spine and can cause problems by compressing the spinal cord), and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (a type of cancer that arises from a peripheral nerve or involves the sheath covering the nerve). - Eye exams, MRI scans and PET scans to evaluate optic pathway gliomas (tumors arising from the vision nerves or the brain areas for vision) and the chemicals within the tumor and brain. - Eye exams and photographs to evaluate the development of Lisch nodules (non-cancerous tumors on the eye). - Photographs of dermal neurofibromas (tumors of the skin), cafe-au-lait spots (dark or pigmented areas on the skin that are often the first signs of NF1) and other skin problems. - Pain evaluations to monitor the different types of pain patients experience, causes of the pain, how often the pain occurs, effect of the pain on quality of life, and what pain medications and alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, are effective.
This phase II trial is studying how well AZD2171 works in treating patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 and plexiform neurofibroma and/or neurofibroma near the spine. AZD2171 may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth and by blocking blood flow to the tumor.