Current Clinical Trials

This astrocytic tumor is classified as a World Health Organization grade I tumor and is often curable.[1] (Refer to the Pilocytic Astrocytoma ¹ section in the Classification ² section of this summary for more information.)

Standard treatment options:

1. Surgery alone if the tumor is totally resectable.
2. Surgery followed by radiation therapy to known or suspected residual tumor.[2]

Treatment options under clinical evaluation:

• At recurrence following surgery, patients should be considered for reoperation and radiation therapy if not previously given.[3] Patients who have received radiation therapy should be considered candidates for nitrosourea-based chemotherapies, for temozolomide, or for clinical trials that evaluate new drugs and biological response modifiers.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with adult pilocytic astrocytoma ³. The list of clinical trials can be further narrowed by location, drug, intervention, and other criteria.

General information about clinical trials is also available from the NCI Web site ⁴.

References

1. Wallner KE, Gonzales MF, Edwards MS, et al.: Treatment results of juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma. J Neurosurg 69 (2): 171-6, 1988.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
2. Shaw EG, Daumas-Duport C, Scheithauer BW, et al.: Radiation therapy in the management of low-grade supratentorial astrocytomas. J Neurosurg 70 (6): 853-61, 1989.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
3. Stüer C, Vilz B, Majores M, et al.: Frequent recurrence and progression in pilocytic astrocytoma in adults. Cancer 110 (12): 2799-808, 2007.  [PUBMED Abstract]