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Brain Tumor clinical trials at UC Cancer

20 research studies open to eligible people

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  • A Phase 1-2 Study of ST101 in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    This is an open-label, two-part, phase 1-2 dose-finding study designed to determine the safety, tolerability, PK, PD, and proof-of-concept efficacy of ST101 administered IV in patients with advanced solid tumors. The study consists of two phases: a phase 1 dose escalation/regimen exploration phase and a phase 2 expansion phase.

    at UCSF

  • A Study of a New Way to Treat Children and Young Adults With a Brain Tumor Called NGGCT

    open to eligible people ages 3-30

    This phase II trial studies the best approach to combine chemotherapy and radiation therapy (RT) based on the patient's response to induction chemotherapy in patients with non-germinomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCT) that have not spread to other parts of the brain or body (localized). This study has 2 goals: 1) optimizing radiation for patients who respond well to induction chemotherapy to diminish spinal cord relapses, 2) utilizing higher dose chemotherapy followed by conventional RT in patients who did not respond to induction chemotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs, such as carboplatin, etoposide, ifosfamide, and thiotepa, 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. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays or high-energy protons to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Studies have shown that patients with newly-diagnosed localized NGGCT, whose disease responds well to chemotherapy before receiving radiation therapy, are more likely to be free of the disease for a longer time than are patients for whom the chemotherapy does not efficiently eliminate or reduce the size of the tumor. The purpose of this study is to see how well the tumors respond to induction chemotherapy to decide what treatment to give next. Some patients will be given RT to the spine and a portion of the brain. Others will be given high dose chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant before RT to the whole brain and spine. Giving treatment based on the response to induction chemotherapy may lower the side effects of radiation in some patients and adjust the therapy to a more efficient one for other patients with localized NGGCT.

    at UCSF

  • A Study of Radiation Therapy With Temozolomide Versus Radiation Therapy With PCV Chemotherapy in Brain Tumors

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. It is not yet known whether giving radiation with concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide versus radiation with adjuvant PCV is more effective in treating anaplastic glioma or low grade glioma.

    at UC Davis UC Irvine UCSD

  • A Study to Compare the Administration of Encorafenib + Binimetinib + Nivolumab Versus Ipilimumab + Nivolumab in BRAF-V600 Mutant Melanoma With Brain Metastases

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    This phase II trial compares the effect of encorafenib, binimetinib, and nivolumab versus ipilimumab and nivolumab in treating patients with BRAF- V600 mutant melanoma that has spread to the brain (brain metastases). Encorafenib and binimetinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Ipilimumab and nivolumab are monoclonal antibodies that may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. This trial aims to find out which approach is more effective in shrinking and controlling brain metastases from melanoma.

    at UCLA

  • A Study to See if Memantine Protects the Brain During Radiation Therapy Treatment for a Brain Tumor

    open to eligible people ages 4-17

    This phase III trial compares memantine to usual treatment in treating patients with brain tumors that are newly diagnosed or have come back (recurrent). Memantine may block receptors (parts of nerve cells) in the brain known to contribute to a decline in cognitive function. Giving memantine may make a difference in cognitive function (attention, memory, or other thought processes) in children and adolescents receiving brain radiation therapy to treat a primary brain tumor.

    at UCSF

  • APL-101 Study of Subjects With NSCLC With c-Met EXON 14 Skip Mutations and c-Met Dysregulation Advanced Solid Tumors

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    The primary Phase 1 purpose of this study was to assess overall safety, tolerability and recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) of APL-101. The Phase 2 portion will assess efficacy of the dose determined in Phase 1 in individuals with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with c-Met EXON 14 Skip Mutations; individuals with cancers associated with c-Met amplifications; individuals with cancers associated with c-Met fusion

    at UCLA UCSF

  • Fluorine-18-AlphaVBeta6-Binding Peptide Positron Emission Tomography in Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    This study investigates fluorine-18-AlphaVBeta6-BP ([18F]-αvβ6-BP) as a Positron Emission (PET) imaging agent in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases. Investigators hypothesize that [18F]-αvβ6-BP PET/Computed Tomography (CT) is a sensitive tool for disease assessment in patients with metastatic NSCLC, including those with brain metastases.

    at UC Davis

  • Fluoroethyltyrosine in Detecting Tumors in Participants With Recurrent Intracranial Tumors

    open to eligible people ages 3 years and up

    This phase II trial studies how well F-18 fluoroethyltyrosine (fluoroethyltyrosine) works in detecting tumors in participants with intracranial tumors that have come back. Imaging agents, such as fluoroethyltyrosine, may help doctors see the tumor better during a positron emission tomography (PET) scan.

    at UCSF

  • Genetic Testing in Guiding Treatment for Patients With Brain Metastases

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    This phase II trial studies how well genetic testing works in guiding treatment for patients with solid tumors that have spread to the brain. Several genes have been found to be altered or mutated in brain metastases such as NTRK, ROS1, CDK or PI3K. Medications that target these genes such as abemaciclib, paxalisib, and entrectinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Genetic testing may help doctors tailor treatment for each mutation.

    at UC Irvine UCSD

  • Magrolimab in Children and Adults With Recurrent or Progressive Malignant Brain Tumors

    open to eligible people ages 3 years and up

    Children and adults with recurrent or progressive malignant brain tumors have a dismal prognosis, and outcomes remain very poor. Magrolimab is a first-in-class anticancer therapeutic agent targeting the Cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47)-signal receptor protein-alpha (SIRP-alpha) axis. Binding of magrolimab to human CD47 on target malignant cells blocks the "don't eat me" signal to macrophages and enhances tumor cell phagocytosis. Pre-clinical studies have shown that treatment with magrolimab leads to prolonged survival in models of Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumors (ATRT), diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), high-grade glioma (adult and pediatric), medulloblastoma, and embryonal tumors formerly called Primitive Neuro-Ectodermal Tumors (PNET). Safety studies in humans have proven that magrolimab has an excellent safety profile. Ongoing studies are currently testing magrolimab in adult myelodysplastic syndromes, acute myeloid leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, colorectal, ovarian, and bladder cancers. Herein we propose to test the safety of magrolimab in children and adults with recurrent or progressive malignant brain tumors.

    at UCSF

  • Phase 1 Study of the Dual MDM2/MDMX Inhibitor ALRN-6924 in Pediatric Cancer

    open to eligible people ages 1-21

    This research study is studying a novel drug called ALRN-6924 as a possible treatment for resistant (refractory) solid tumor, brain tumor, lymphoma or leukemia. The drugs involved in this study are: - ALRN-6924 - Cytarabine (for patients with leukemia only)

    at UCSF

  • Prospective Exploratory Study of FAPi PET/CT With Histopathology Validation in Patients With Various Cancers

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    This exploratory study investigates how an imaging technique called 68Ga-FAPi-46 PET/CT can determine where and to which degree the FAPI tracer (68Ga-FAPi-46) accumulates in normal and cancer tissues in patients with cancer. Because some cancers take up 68Ga-FAPi-46 it can be seen with PET. FAP stands for Fibroblast Activation Protein. FAP is produced by cells that surround tumors (cancer associated fibroblasts). The function of FAP is not well understood but imaging studies have shown that FAP can be detected with FAPI PET/CT. Imaging FAP with FAPI PET/CT may in the future provide additional information about various cancers.

    at UCLA

  • Simultaneous Multinuclear Metabolic MRI in Newly Diagnosed or Recurrent Glioma

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    This clinical trial constructs and tests a novel multinuclear metabolic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence in patients with glioma (brain tumor) that is newly diagnosed or has come back (recurrent). This trial aims to develop new diagnostic imaging technology that may bridge gaps between early detection and diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment in brain cancer.

    at UCLA

  • Stereotactic Radiosurgery Compared With Hippocampal-Avoidant Whole Brain Radiotherapy (HA-WBRT) Plus Memantine for 5 or More Brain Metastases

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a commonly used treatment for brain tumors. It is a one-day (or in some cases two day), out-patient procedure during which a high dose of radiation is delivered to small spots in the brain while excluding the surrounding normal brain. Whole brain radiation therapy with hippocampal avoidance (HA-WBRT) is when radiation therapy is given to the whole brain, while trying to decrease the amount of radiation that is delivered to the area of the hippocampus. The hippocampus is a brain structure that is important for memory. Memantine is a drug that is given to help relieve symptoms that can be caused by WBRT, including problems with memory and other mental symptoms. Health Canada, the regulatory body that oversees the use of drugs in Canada, has not approved the sale or use of memantine in combination with WBRT to treat this kind of cancer, although they have allowed its use in this study.

    at UC Irvine

  • Testing Sacituzumab Govitecan Therapy in Patients With HER2-Negative Breast Cancer and Brain Metastases

    “Volunteer for research and contribute to discoveries that may improve health care for you, your family, and your community!”

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    This phase II trial studies the effect of sacituzumab govitecan in treating patients with HER2-negative breast cancer that has spread to the brain (brain metastases). Sacituzumab govitecan is a monoclonal antibody, called sacituzumab, linked to a chemotherapy drug, called govitecan. Sacituzumab is a form of targeted therapy because it attaches to specific molecules on the surface of cancer cells, known as Trop-2 receptors, and delivers govitecan to kill them. Giving sacituzumab govitecan may shrink the cancer in the brain and/or extend the time until the cancer gets worse.

    at UC Irvine

  • Testing the Addition of an Anti-cancer Drug, Selinexor, to the Usual Chemotherapy Treatment (Temozolomide) for Brain Tumors That Have Returned After Previous Treatment

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    This phase I/II trial tests the safety, side effects and best dose of selinexor given in combination with the usual chemotherapy (temozolomide) and compares the effect of this combination therapy vs. the usual chemotherapy alone (temozolomide) in treating patients with glioblastoma that has come back (recurrent). Selinexor is in a class of medications called selective inhibitors of nuclear export (SINE). It works by blocking a protein called CRM1, which may keep cancer cells from growing and may kill them. Temozolomide is in a class of medications called alkylating agents. It works by damaging the cell's DNA and may kill tumor cells and slow down or stop tumor growth. Giving selinexor in combination with usual chemotherapy (temozolomide) may shrink or stabilize the tumor better than the usual chemotherapy with temozolomide alone in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.

    at UCSD

  • UCSD Image-Guided Cognitive-Sparing Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    In this proposal, the investigators introduce advanced diffusion and volumetric imaging techniques along with innovative, automated image parcellation methods to identify critical brain regions, incorporate into cognitive-sparing SRS, and analyze biomarkers of radiation response. This work will advance the investigators' understanding of neurocognitive changes after brain SRS and help create interventions that preserve cognitive-function in brain metastases patients.

    at UCSD

  • Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients Who Have Participated in Children's Oncology Group Studies

    open to all eligible people

    This clinical trial keeps track of and collects follow-up information from patients who are currently enrolled on or have participated in a Children's Oncology Group study. Developing a way to keep track of patients who have participated in Children's Oncology Group studies may allow doctors learn more about the long-term effects of cancer treatment and help them reduce problems related to treatment and improve patient quality of life.

    at UC Davis UCLA UCSF

  • Longitudinal Prospective Study of Neurocognition & Neuroimaging in Primary BT Patients

    open to eligible people ages 18 years and up

    In this proposal, the investigators introduce a novel, translational study to prospectively examine primary brain tumor patients undergoing fractionated radiation therapy to the brain. Quantitative neuroimaging, radiation dose information, and directed neurocognitive testing will be acquired through this study to improve understanding of cognitive changes associated with radiation dosage to non-targeted tissue, and will provide the basis for evidence-based cognitive- sparing brain radiotherapy.

    at UCSD

  • Registry of Patients With Brain Tumors Treated With STaRT (GammaTiles)

    open to all eligible people

    The objectives of this registry study are to evaluate real-world clinical outcomes and patient reported outcomes that measure the effectiveness and safety of STaRT.

    at UCSD

Our lead scientists for Brain Tumor research studies include .