The Role of Gene Changes in Brain Tumor Formation and Growth

March 3, 2008 updated by: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

EGF Polymorphisms and Gliomagenesis

This study will examine tissue from gliomas (a type of brain tumor) removed during surgery for gene mutations, or changes, thought to be involved in tumor formation and growth. One common gene mutation causes the receptor for a protein called epidermal growth factor (EGF) to be in an active state all of the time, allowing uncontrolled cell growth that can lead to tumor formation. This study will analyze blood and tumor tissue samples from patients with gliomas for:

  • Changes in the EGF gene in the tumor
  • Changes in other genes, such as that for the EGF receptor (EGFR)
  • Changes in levels of EGF and EGFR, and in other proteins and genes that respond to changes in the levels of these proteins in the tumor
  • Changes in the EGF gene and protein in the blood

The study will also determine if production of EGF and EGFR obtained from glioma and from blood cells derived from the tumor can be altered in the laboratory to grow indefinitely in culture.

Patients between 18 and 75 years of age with a brain tumor that requires surgical treatment may be eligible for this study.

Participants will be admitted to the NIH Clinical Center for about 3 to 10 days. They will have a physical and neurological examination, blood and urine tests, other tests, if medically necessary, and will be evaluated and prepared for surgery. During surgery, as much of the tumor as possible will be removed. A small amount of the tumor tissue will be collected for this study. No tissue will be removed for this study that would not otherwise have been removed. Some of the tissue will be used to culture glioma cells and the rest will be frozen and stored for examination, as described above. If any normal-appearing brain tissue is removed during surgery in order to enhance safety in removing the tumor, the normal tissue will be studied as well. Brain tissue that appears normal will not be removed strictly for research.

During surgery and the day after surgery, a blood sample will be drawn from a catheter (plastic tube) that was placed in an artery or vein for surgery. If catheters are no longer in place, blood will be drawn through a needle in a vein.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an important biological mediator of normal growth and repair and is critical to epithelial tissue development and maturation of the central nervous system, among other functions. EGF is a natural focus of interest in cancer research because of its influence over mitogenesis, proliferation, and tumorigenesis. In addition, unregulated expression of its receptor, EGFR, has been identified as a common event in neoplastic transformation. In patients with the most malignant primary tumor of the brain, the glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), alterations in the EGFR or in its expression levels have been identified in approximately 50% of patients. We postulate that EGF-EGFR interactions may be important for the development, progression, and prognosis of human gliomas and that alterations of the EGF gene may predict the potential for glioma progression and the severity of disease.

Patients suspected of having, or with prior biopsy proof of, a WHO grade II-IV central nervous system (CNS) glial tumor(s) seen in the Surgical Neurology Branch, NINDS, will be considered for entry into this study. Tissue samples of tumor resected as part of standard care will be collected at surgery and preserved for research. Blood samples will also be collected. Blood will also be collected from anonymous normal volunteers who donate blood at the NIH Blood Bank; these anonymous donors will serve as controls.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment

344

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Maryland
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
        • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

Radiographic evidence of a primary glial neoplasm of the CNS (WHO grade II-IV) or any patient with known primary neoplasms of the CNS.

Medically indicated diagnostic and/or therapeutic tumor resection.

Informed consent from patient, age 18 or older to 75 years of age.

Females of child-bearing capacity: Pregnant women will be entered into the study for tumor collection, but blood will not be drawn at the time of surgery. Six weeks or more after the completion of pregnancy, these women will be contacted and 10cc (2 tsp) of blood will be collected for genotyping.

No racial or ethnic group or gender is excluded.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Inability to provide informed consent prior to surgery.

Medical conditions that cannot be corrected prior to surgery that would be standard contraindications for neurosurgery.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

April 1, 2003

Study Completion

November 1, 2004

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 16, 2003

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 15, 2003

First Posted (Estimate)

April 16, 2003

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

March 4, 2008

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 3, 2008

Last Verified

November 1, 2004

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 030160
  • 03-N-0160

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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