Protocol

SJYC07: Risk-Adapted Therapy for Children Less Than 3 Years of Age with Embryonal Brain Tumors, High-Grade Glioma, Choroid Plexus Carcinoma or Ependymoma

Diseases

Brain Tumor : Embryonal brain tumors, choroid plexus carcinoma or ependymoma

Description

Participants in this research study are less than 3 years of age and have been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.  These tumors may grow quickly.  Treatments for these tumors in older children involve therapy with high doses of x-rays (radiation) to the entire brain and spinal cord.  Using this type of radiation in very young children may cause permanent problems with thinking, learning, and growing.

In this study a combination of anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapy) is used to treat brain tumors in young children.  Using chemotherapy gives the brain more time to develop before radiation is given.  The chemotherapy in this study includes the drug methotrexate.  This drug was an important part of the two clinical trials which resulted in the best survival results for children less than 3 years of age with medulloblastoma.  Most patients treated on this trial will also receive radiation which is carefully targeted to the area of the tumor.  This type of radiation (focal conformal radiotherapy) may result in fewer problems with thinking and learning than radiation to the whole brain and spinal cord. 

An additional important goal of this research is to study the cellular biology of the brain tumors in children less than 3 years of age.  Researchers hope to identify new information about the tumors that will help to define different tumor types.  They would like to identify tumors that will respond to specific treatments and identify tumors that are likely to return after treatment.


Objectives

  • To study the good and bad effects of this treatment for brain tumors in very young children
  • To learn about the biology of brain tumors in young children
  • To learn more about how the body processes and responds to the drugs used in the treatment

Eligibility

  • Patient is newly diagnosed with a tumor of the central nervous system
  • Patient is less than 3 years of age at the time of diagnosis
  • Patient has not received any prior radiation or chemotherapy
  • Patient meets other requirements defined in the research study

For the current eligibility status of this clinical study, patient’s family, relatives and referring physicians may contact St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at (901) 595-5007 or (901) 595-2544.


Contact

Amar Gajjar, MD
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN  38105  USA
TEL:  901-595-2544 or 901-595-4599
FAX:  901-595-5353

or

Tabatha E. Doyle, RN
Coordinator, Brain Tumor Program
Phone: 901-595-2544
Fax: 901-595-5353
Email: tabatha.doyle@stjude.org

Contact us by email anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Amendment 2.0 dated 4/16/08, IRB approved 5/13/08


The above information is intended to provide only a basic description about a research protocol that may be currently active at St. Jude. The details made available here may not be the most up-to-date information on protocols used by St. Jude. To receive full details about a protocol and its status and or use at St. Jude, a physician must contact St. Jude directly.

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