Study of Aminolevulinic Acid to Enhance Visualization and Resection of Malignant Glial Tumors of the Brain

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients must have clinically documented primary brain tumor for which resection is clinically indicated. Anticipated histology at resection should include:anaplastic astrocytoma, astrocytoma malignant NOS,brain stem glioma, ependymoma malignant, glioblastoma, glioblastoma multiforme, gliosarcoma, malignant oligodendroglioma, medulloblastoma, mixed astrocytoma-ependymoma
• prior therapy is not a consideration in protocol entry
• age unrestricted
• ECOG performance status<2(Karnofsky>60%,)
• life expectancy is not a consideration for protocol entry
• patients must have normal organ and marrow function as defined below:
• leukocytes _> 3,000/ml
• absolute neutrophil count _>1,500/ml
• platelets >_100,000/ml
• total bilirubin:within normal institutional limits
• AST (SGOT)/ALT (SGPT) _<2.5 X institutional upper limit of normal
• creatinine:within normal institutional limits or creatinine clearance >_60 ml/min/1.73 m2 for patients with creatinine levels above institutional normal
• women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception(hormonal or barrier method of birth control;abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation.
• ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document or have a parent or guardian with the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• prior therapy is not an exclusion criterion
• patients may not be receiving any other investigational agents history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to aminolevulinic adic (ALA)
• personal or family history of porphyrias
• uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
• pregnant women are excluded, breastfeeding should be discontinued if mother is treated with aminolevulinic acid.