Clinical Research Directory

Pembrolizumab and Standard Therapy in Treating Patients With Glioblastoma

This phase II trial studies the side effects and how well pembrolizumab works in combination with standard therapy in treating patients with glioblastoma. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Drugs used in the chemotherapy, such as temozolomide, 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. Radiation therapy uses high energy beams to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Giving pembrolizumab and standard therapy comprising of temozolomide and radiation therapy may kill tumor cells.

hSTAR GBM (Hematopoetic Stem Cell (HPC) Rescue for GBM)

This phase II trial studies the effect of P140K MGMT hematopoietic stem cells, O6-benzylguanine, temozolomide, and carmustine in treating participants with supratentorial glioblastoma or gliosarcoma who have recently had surgery to remove most or all of the brain tumor (resected). Chemotherapy drugs, such as 6-benzylguanine, temozolomide, and carmustine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing. Placing P140K MGMT, a gene that has been created in the laboratory into bone marrow making the bone more resistant to chemotherapy, allowing intra-patient dose escalation which kills more tumor cells while allowing bone marrow to survive.