Photodynamic Therapy With Porfimer Sodium in Treating Patients With Refractory Brain Tumors

• Status: Unknown status
• Trial end date: 1969-12-31
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

RATIONALE: Photodynamic therapy uses light and photosensitizing drugs to kill tumor cells and may be an effective treatment for refractory brain tumors.

PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of photodynamic therapy using porfimer sodium in treating patients with refractory brain tumors, including astrocytoma, ependymoma, and medulloblastoma.

• Phase: Phase 1
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Medical College of Wisconsin
• Treatments: Verteporfin

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of supratentorial or infratentorial brain tumor

• Localized, non-disseminated

• Primary tumor or solitary metastasis

• Recurrent or progressive

• Unresectable

• Negative CSF

• Must have failed standard therapy including radiotherapy

• Measurable disease as evidenced by CT scan or MRI

• Single or multiple masses accessible to light administration

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 3 to 70

Performance status:

• Not specified

Life expectancy:

• At least 2 months

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm3

• May transfuse platelets

Hepatic:

• PT and PTT normal

Renal:

• Not specified

Other:

• Not pregnant

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• At least 6 weeks since prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

• No prior brachytherapy

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics

Other:

• No other concurrent antitumor therapy