Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy After Surgery in Treating Children With Newly Diagnosed Astroc… (NCT00028795) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedPhase 2
Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy After Surgery in Treating Children With Newly Diagnosed Astrocytoma, Glioblastoma Multiforme, Gliosarcoma, or Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma
United States, Australia, Canada170 participantsStarted 2002-12
Plain-language summary
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. Giving chemotherapy together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells.
PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving chemotherapy together with radiation therapy after surgery followed by chemotherapy alone works in children with newly diagnosed astrocytoma, glioblastoma multiforme, gliosarcoma, or diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.
Who can participate
Age range
3 Years – 21 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
* Histologically confirmed newly diagnosed CNS tumor of the following types:
* High grade glioma (HGG) of one of the following histologies:
* Anaplastic astrocytoma (grade III)
* Glioblastoma multiforme (grade IV)
* Gliosarcoma
* Primary spinal cord malignant glioma
* Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG)
* Diagnosed by gadolinium-enhanced MRI
* At least 2/3 of tumor situated in the pons AND tumor clearly originated in the pons
* No diffuse leptomeningeal disease
* No tumors with features not typical of diffuse intrinsic brainstem glioma, including any of the following:
* Dorsally exophytic brainstem glioma
* Cervico-medullary junction tumor
* Focal low-grade glioma of the midbrain or brainstem
* No diffuse brainstem enlargement due to neurofibromatosis
* No primary brain stem malignant glioma
* No M+ disease (CSF positive for tumor or metastatic disease)
* Must begin study radiotherapy within 6 weeks after surgical resection (for HGG patients) or diagnosis (for DIPG patients)
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
Age:
* 3 to 21
Performance status:
* Karnofsky 50-100% OR
* Lansky 50-100%
Life expectancy:
* At least 2 months
Hematopoietic:
* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3\*
* Hemoglobin at least 10.0 g/dL\* NOTE: \*Transfusion independent
Hepatic:
* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* SGOT or SGPT less tha…
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.