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. Combining more than one drug with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of vincristine plus etoposide and radiation therapy in treating children who have newly diagnosed brain stem glioma.

Condition	Treatment or Intervention	Phase
untreated childhood brain stem glioma	Drug: etoposide  Drug: vincristine	Phase I

Further Study Details: 

OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the efficacy of vincristine plus etoposide with concurrent radiotherapy on one year survival in children with newly diagnosed diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioma. II. Assess the toxicity of this regimen in this patient population.

PROTOCOL OUTLINE: Induction: Patients receive oral etoposide daily on days 1-21 and vincristine IV on days 1, 8, and 15. Treatment repeats every 4 weeks for 2 courses. Patients receive radiotherapy daily for 6 weeks concurrently with induction chemotherapy. Maintenance: One week after induction therapy, patients receive vincristine IV on days 1 and 8 and oral etoposide daily on days 1-21. Treatment repeats every 4 weeks for 10 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 3 years, and then annually thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 30 patients will be accrued for this study within 2 years.

Ages Eligible for Study:  3 Years   -   21 Years

Criteria

PROTOCOL ENTRY CRITERIA:

--Disease Characteristics--

• Newly diagnosed diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioma by MRI; At least 2/3 of the tumor in the pons; Tumor origin clearly in the pons
• At least 2 clinical features with less than 6 months duration: Cranial nerve deficit; Long tract signs; Ataxia
• No diffuse brain stem enlargement secondary to neurofibromatosis
• No diffuse leptomeningeal disease

--Prior/Concurrent Therapy--

• Biologic therapy: No prior biologic therapy
• Chemotherapy: No other concurrent chemotherapy; No prior chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy: Prior glucocorticoids allowed
• Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy
• Surgery: No prior surgery
• Other: No other concurrent investigational drugs

--Patient Characteristics--

• Age: 3 to 21
• Performance status: Karnofsky or Lansky 50-100%
• Life expectancy: Not specified
• Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm3; Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3
• Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL; ALT no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal
• Renal: Creatinine or GFR normal for age

Alabama
      MBCCOP - Gulf Coast, Mobile,  Alabama,  36688,  United States
      University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center, Birmingham,  Alabama,  35294-3300,  United States
Arizona
      Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson,  Arizona,  85724,  United States
Arkansas
      University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock,  Arkansas,  72205,  United States
California
      Children's Hospital and Health Center, San Diego,  California,  92123-4282,  United States
      Kaiser Permanente Medical Center - Santa Clara, Santa Clara,  California,  95051-5386,  United States
      Kaiser Permanente-Southern California Permanente Medical Group, San Diego,  California,  92120,  United States
      Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, Palo Alto,  California,  94304,  United States
      Sutter Cancer Center, Sacramento,  California,  95816,  United States
      University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento,  California,  95817,  United States
      University of California San Diego Cancer Center, La Jolla,  California,  92093-0658,  United States
Connecticut
      Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center, New Haven,  Connecticut,  06520-8028,  United States
District of Columbia
      Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington,  District of Columbia,  20307-5000,  United States
Florida
      All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg,  Florida,  33701,  United States
      Baptist Hospital of Miami, Miami,  Florida,  33176-2197,  United States
      CCOP - Florida Pediatric, Tampa,  Florida,  33682-7757,  United States
      Miami Children's Hospital, Miami,  Florida,  33155,  United States
      Nemours Children's Clinic, Jacksonville,  Florida,  32207,  United States
      Shands Hospital and Clinics, University of Florida, Gainesville,  Florida,  32610-100277,  United States
      St. Mary's Hospital, West Palm Beach,  Florida,  33407,  United States
      Sylvester Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami,  Florida,  33136,  United States
      Walt Disney Memorial Cancer Institute, Orlando,  Florida,  32803,  United States
Georgia
      Emory University Hospital - Atlanta, Atlanta,  Georgia,  30322,  United States
Hawaii
      Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, Honolulu,  Hawaii,  96813,  United States
      Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu,  Hawaii,  96859-5000,  United States
Illinois
      CCOP - Illinois Oncology Research Association, Peoria,  Illinois,  61602,  United States
      Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Chicago,  Illinois,  60614,  United States
      Hope Children's Hospital, Oak Lawn,  Illinois,  60453,  United States
      Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago,  Illinois,  60612,  United States
      Saint Jude Midwest Affiliate, Peoria,  Illinois,  61637,  United States
Kansas
      CCOP - Wichita, Wichita,  Kansas,  67214-3882,  United States
      University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City,  Kansas,  66160-7357,  United States
      Via Christi Regional Medical Center, Wichita,  Kansas,  67214,  United States
Louisiana
      CCOP - Ochsner, New Orleans,  Louisiana,  70121,  United States
      MBCCOP - LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans,  Louisiana,  70112,  United States
      Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans,  Louisiana,  70112,  United States
Maine
      Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor,  Maine,  04401,  United States
      Maine Children's Cancer Program, Portland,  Maine,  04101,  United States
Maryland
      Johns Hopkins Oncology Center, Baltimore,  Maryland,  21231-2410,  United States
      Marlene & Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore,  Maryland,  21201,  United States
Massachusetts
      Boston Floating Hospital Infants and Children, Boston,  Massachusetts,  02111,  United States
      Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston,  Massachusetts,  02115,  United States
      Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston,  Massachusetts,  02114,  United States
      University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center, Worcester,  Massachusetts,  01655,  United States
Michigan
      Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit,  Michigan,  48201,  United States
      Hurley Medical Center, Flint,  Michigan,  48503,  United States
      St. John's Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit,  Michigan,  48236,  United States
Mississippi
      Keesler Medical Center - Keesler AFB, Keesler AFB,  Mississippi,  39534-2576,  United States
      University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson,  Mississippi,  39216-4505,  United States
Missouri
      Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, Saint Louis,  Missouri,  63104,  United States
      University of Missouri-Columbia Hospital and Clinics, Columbia,  Missouri,  65212,  United States
      Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis,  Missouri,  63110,  United States
New Hampshire
      Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Lebanon,  New Hampshire,  03756-0002,  United States
New Jersey
      CCOP - Northern New Jersey, Hackensack,  New Jersey,  07601,  United States
      Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack,  New Jersey,  07601,  United States
New Mexico
      University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque,  New Mexico,  87131,  United States
New York
      Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York,  New York,  10029,  United States
      Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo,  New York,  14263-0001,  United States
      Schneider Children's Hospital, New Hyde Park,  New York,  11042,  United States
      State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse,  New York,  13210,  United States
      State University of New York Health Sciences Center - Stony Brook, Stony Brook,  New York,  11790-7775,  United States
      University of Rochester Cancer Center, Rochester,  New York,  14642,  United States
North Carolina
      Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte,  North Carolina,  28232-2861,  United States
      Comprehensive Cancer Center at Wake Forest University, Winston Salem,  North Carolina,  27157-1082,  United States
      Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, Durham,  North Carolina,  27710,  United States
      East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville,  North Carolina,  27858-4354,  United States
      Mission Saint Joseph's Health System, Asheville,  North Carolina,  28801,  United States
      Presbyterian Healthcare, Charlotte,  North Carolina,  28233-3549,  United States
Oklahoma
      Natalie Warren Bryant Cancer Center, Tulsa,  Oklahoma,  74136,  United States
      Oklahoma Memorial Hospital, Oklahoma City,  Oklahoma,  73126-0307,  United States
Oregon
      CCOP - Columbia River Program, Portland,  Oregon,  97213,  United States
      Legacy Emanuel Hospital and Health Center, Portland,  Oregon,  97227,  United States
Pennsylvania
      St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  19134-1095,  United States
South Carolina
      Children's Hospital of Greenville Hospital System, Greenville,  South Carolina,  29605,  United States
      Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston,  South Carolina,  29425-0721,  United States
Tennessee
      James H. Quillen College of Medicine, Johnson City,  Tennessee,  37614-0622,  United States
      Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis,  Tennessee,  38105-2794,  United States
Texas
      Baylor College of Medicine, Houston,  Texas,  77030,  United States
      MBCCOP - South Texas Pediatric, San Antonio,  Texas,  78229-3900,  United States
      Medical City Dallas Hospital, Dallas,  Texas,  75230,  United States
      San Antonio Military Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Lackland Air Force Base,  Texas,  78236-5300,  United States
      Scott and White Clinic, Temple,  Texas,  76508,  United States
      Simmons Cancer Center - Dallas, Dallas,  Texas,  75235-9154,  United States
      Texas Oncology P.A., Dallas,  Texas,  75230-2503,  United States
      University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio,  Texas,  78284-7811,  United States
      University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston,  Texas,  77555-0209,  United States
Vermont
      Vermont Cancer Center, Burlington,  Vermont,  05401-3498,  United States
Virginia
      Cancer Center at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville,  Virginia,  22908,  United States
      Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital, Roanoke,  Virginia,  24029,  United States
      Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church,  Virginia,  22046,  United States
      Massey Cancer Center, Richmond,  Virginia,  23298-0037,  United States
      Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Portsmouth,  Virginia,  23708-2197,  United States
Washington
      Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma,  Washington,  98431-5000,  United States
West Virginia
      West Virginia University Hospitals, Morgantown,  West Virginia,  26506-9162,  United States
      West Virginia University Medical School-Charleston, Charleston,  West Virginia,  25304,  United States
Wisconsin
      Midwest Children's Cancer Center, Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  53226,  United States
      St. Vincent Hospital, Green Bay,  Wisconsin,  54307-3508,  United States
Australia, Victoria
      Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville,  Victoria,  3052,  Australia
Canada, Alberta
      Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary,  Alberta,  T2T 5C7,  Canada
      Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton,  Alberta,  T6G 1Z2,  Canada
Canada, Ontario
      Children's Hospital, Hamilton,  Ontario,  L8N 3Z5,  Canada
      Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa,  Ontario,  K1H 8L1,  Canada
      Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto,  Ontario,  M5G 1X8,  Canada
Canada, Quebec
      Centre Hospitalier de L'Universite Laval, Sainte-Foy,  Quebec,  GIV 4G2,  Canada
      Hopital Sainte Justine, Montreal,  Quebec,  H3T 1C5,  Canada
      McGill University Health Center - Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal,  Quebec,  H3H 1P3,  Canada
Netherlands
      Academisch Ziekenhuis Groningen, Groningen,  9713 EZ,  Netherlands
Puerto Rico
      San Jorge Childrens Hospital, Santurce,  00912,  Puerto Rico
Switzerland
      Clinique de Pediatrie, Geneva,  1211,  Switzerland
      Swiss Pediatric Oncology Group Bern, Bern,  CH 3010,  Switzerland

Study chairs or principal investigators

David N. Korones,  Study Chair,  Pediatric Oncology Group   

Study ID Numbers:  CDR0000067127; POG-9836
Record last reviewed:  February 2004
Last Updated:  October 13, 2004
Record first received:  November 1, 1999
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:  NCT00003935
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on 2005-04-08