Information for Referring Physicians
The Brain Tumor Treatment and Research Program (BTTRP) offers community-based physicians the opportunity to refer patients for a comprehensive evaluation and consideration of investigational options.
The investigational options include Phase I, II and II human clinical trials for patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors. Our clinical trials are sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) through the CNS consortium New Approaches to Brain Tumor Therapy (NABTT) as well as large cooperative groups such as Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) or Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) and pharmaceutical sponsored trials.
Clinical trials are offered for various histological types and grades. Protocols are divided into different protocol classes depending on time point in diagnosis and treatment. Typical eligibility requirements are:
- Greater than age 18
- Histologically confirmed diagnosis
- Must have recovered from toxicity of prior therapy. An interval of 4 weeks must have elapsed since the completion of standard radiation while at least 3 weeks must have elapsed since the completion of a non-nitrosurea containing chemotherapy regimen and at least 6 weeks since the completion of a nitrosurea containing chemotherapy regimen.
- Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) of at least 70
- Absolute neutrophil count ³ 1,500 cells/mm 3 , Platelet count > 100,000 cells/mm 3 , Serum creatinine < 2 x ULN, Transaminases £ 4 time the upper limits of normal
- No prior treatment with gliadel, brachytherapy, or biologic agents
- Patients must have no concurrent malignancy except curatively treated basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or carcinoma in situ of the cervix and breast.
- Patients with prior malignancies must be disease-free for ³ 5 years.
- Able to sign informed consent
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