Find-A-Study

Maintenance Chemotherapy or Observation Following Induction Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Ependymoma

Lay Description

This partially randomized phase III trial is studying maintenance chemotherapy to see how well it works compared to observation following induction chemotherapy and radiation therapy in treating young patients with newly diagnosed ependymoma. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as vincristine sulfate, carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and cisplatin, 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. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Specialized radiation therapy that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Giving chemotherapy with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells and allow doctors to save the part of the body where the cancer started.

Eligibility

Eligible Ages: Between 13 Months and 20 Years
Eligible Genders: All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Inclusion Criteria

Patients must be newly diagnosed with histologically confirmed intracranial ependymoma; patients with classic ependymoma (WHO II) or anaplastic ependymoma (WHO III) are eligible, as are various subtypes described as clear cell, papillary, cellular or a combination of the above
There is no minimum performance level; children with ependymoma may suffer neurologic sequelae as a result of their tumor or surgical measures taken to establish a diagnosis and resect the tumor; in the majority of cases, there is neurologic recovery; neurologic recovery is not likely to be impeded by protocol therapy
REGULATORY: All patients and/or their parents or legal guardians must sign a written informed consent
REGULATORY: All institutional, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and National Cancer Institute (NCI) requirements for human studies must be met

Exclusion Criteria

Patients with evidence of metastatic disease will be excluded; any evidence of non-contiguous spread beyond the primary site as determined by pre or post-operative magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of brain, pre or post-operative MR imaging of the spine, and post-operative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology obtained from the lumbar CSF space (the requirement for lumbar CSF examination may be waived if deemed to be medically contraindicated); CSF cytology from a ventriculostomy or permanent ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt that reveals the presence of tumor cells is indicative of metastatic disease
Patients with a diagnosis of spinal cord ependymoma, myxopapillary ependymoma, subependymoma, ependymoblastoma, or mixed glioma are NOT eligible
No prior treatment other than surgical intervention and corticosteroids; patients are allowed to have had more than one attempt at resection prior to enrollment
Pregnant female patients are not eligible for this study
Post-menarchal females may not participate unless a pregnancy test with a negative result has been obtained
Males and females of reproductive potential may not participate unless they have agreed to use an effective contraceptive method
Lactating females may not participate unless they have agreed not to breastfeed a child while on this study

Study Design

Arm Groups

Study Contact

Virginia Diaz
(210) 562-9149
diazvr@uthscsa.edu

Principal Investigator
Anne-Marie Langevin