Brain Tumors

A Trial Of Intensive Chemotherapy And Autologous Stem Cell Reconstitution For Patients Between 6 And 60 Years Of Age With Non-Progressive Glioblastoma Multiforme Or Diffuse Intrinsic Brain Stem Tumors, Following Initial Local-Field Irradiation.

In collaboration with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Objectives:

1. To estimate the overall survival, progression-free survival, and time to progression in patients with nondisseminated glioblastoma multiforme or diffuse intrinsic brain stem tumors treated with intensive chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell reconstitution following local field irradiation.

    

2. To assess the toxicity of this treatment in newly diagnosed patients previously treated with local radiation therapy.

    

Eligibility:

1. Patients between the ages of 6 and 60 with biopsy-proven glioblastoma multiforme or patients with unbiopsied diffuse intrinsic brain stem tumors are eligible.

    

2. Patients between the ages of 6 and 60 with biopsy-proven anaplastic astrocytoma of which 90% or less of the tumor is excised at surgery are eligible.

    

3. Patients must not have evidence of spinal leptomeningeal dissemination by radiographic evaluation, but may have positive cerebrospinal fluid cytology in the absence of radiographic evidence of spinal leptomeningeal dissemination.

    

4. Patients with extraneural metastases at diagnosis will be ineligible.

    

5. Patients with disease progression following radical surgery and local radiotherapy are not eligible. Patients with stable disease or better will be eligible and patients with residual tumor mass following radiotherapy should be strongly considered for second surgical debulking prior to high-dose chemotherapy.

    

6. Patients must have a Karnofsky performance status of at least 60%.

    

7. Patients must have adequate hepatic, renal, cardiac, and coagulation function.