Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for An Open Label Dose Escalation Safety Study of Convection-Enhanced Delivery of IL13-PE38QQR in Patients With Progressive Pediatric Diffuse Infiltrating Brainstem Glioma and Supratentorial High-grade Glioma

Study Description

Brief Summary: Background: * Diffusely infiltrating pontine glioma (DIPG) or supratentorial high-grade glioma (HGG) are brain tumors that are often difficult to treat. It is very difficult to get chemotherapy agents to tumors in the brain, and researchers are looking for new methods to directly treat these types of cancer. * IL-13 is an immune molecule normally occurring in the body. Patients with gliomas appear to have significant amounts of the IL-13 receptors in their brain tumors. An experimental drug, IL13-PE38QQR, combines a bacteria toxin with human IL-13 to allow the toxin to enter and destroy the tumor cell. Early clinical studies suggest this treatment may prolong survival of patients with these types of brain tumors. * A technique called convection-enhanced delivery (CED) uses continuous pressure to push large molecules through the membranes protecting the brain to reach brain tumors. This technique can treat a tumor more directly than with traditional methods. Objectives: * To test the safety and feasibility of giving IL13-PE38QQR directly into regions of the brain in pediatric patients with DIPG or HGG, using CED. * To determine the most appropriate dose of IL13-PE38QQR to treat DIPG or HGG. * To determine the effects of this experimental therapy on the tumor. * To evaluate the physical changes in the tumor before and after the therapy. Eligibility: * Patients who are less than 18 years of age and have been diagnosed with either DIPG or with supratentorial HGG that has not responded well to standard treatments. Design: * Patients will be admitted to the hospital and will receive a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to show the exact location of the tumor. A small plastic tube will be inserted surgically into the tumor area, and IL13-PE38QQR and a MRI contrast agent (gadolinium DTPA) will be infused into the area. * MRI scans will monitor the process, and the tube will be removed after surgery. * Doses will be adjusted over the course of the study. * Patients who respond well to treatment may be eligible to receive a second infusion, no sooner than 4 weeks after the first treatment. * Post-treatment visits: Clinic visits 4 and 8 weeks after the treatment, and then every 8 weeks for up to 1 year. * Physical examination with neurological testing, an MRI, and standard blood and urine tests.

Detailed Description: Objective: The primary purpose of this study is to test the safety and feasibility of giving a new experimental agent, called IL13-PE38QQR, directly into regions of the brain in patients with diffusely infiltrating pontine glioma (DIPG) or with recurrent or progressive supratentorial high-grade glioma (HGG) using a technique called convection-enhanced delivery or CED. CED uses continuous pressure to push large molecules through the membranes protecting the brain to reach brain tumors. At the same time, we can watch where the molecules go in the brain by attaching a tracer, gadolinium-DTPA, to the IL13-PE38QQR, which can then be seen in the brain with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Because we do not know the best dose to use in patients with DIPG or HGG, we will give increasing amounts of IL13-PE38QQR to small groups of patients with each type of brain tumor, known as a dose escalation study. Secondary purposes of this study include determining the effects of this experimental therapy on the tumor, and evaluating the physical changes in the tumor before and after the therapy. Study Population: Twenty-right pediatric patients with recurrent or progressive DIPG or supratentorial HGG that have undergone standard treatment and who meet all the Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria may be enrolled. Eighteen patients will receive treatment; an additional ten patients may be screening failures or unevaluable. Design: We propose a Phase I single institution, open label, dose escalation (doses of 0.125, 0.25 and 0.5 micrograms/ml), safety and tolerability study of IL13-PE38QQR infused via CED into patients with either DIPG (up to 9 patients) or recurrent HGG (up to 9 patients). IL13-PE38QQR will be administered to regions of tumor determined by radiographic findings. Escalating dose levels will be evaluated in the following dose cohorts (3 patients per Cohort): Cohort 1 = 0.125 micrograms/ml, Cohort 2 = 0.25 micrograms/ml and Cohort 3 = 0.5 micrograms/ml. Outcome Measures: To assess the safety, tolerability and potential efficacy of CED of IL13-PE38QQR, we will use detailed clinical and radiographic examinations. These will be performed at baseline and on post-infusion days 1, 28 and 60. After post-infusion day 60, clinical and radiographic studies will then be performed every 8 weeks until imaging or clinical evidence of recurrence/progressive disease or new treatment is initiated.

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Eligibility

Minimum Age:

Eligible Ages: CHILD

Sex: ALL

Healthy Volunteers: No

Locations

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