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TerminatedNCT00038389Updated Nov 1, 2018

Study of Vioxx and Radiation Therapy for Brainstem Glioma

A Phase 1 interventional study of Vioxx in Glioma and Brain Neoplasms, sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Terminated at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 3 Years to 85 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-11-01.

Sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

Why this study was terminated
Unavailability of study drug.
Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
8
Allocation
Non-randomized
Ages
3 Years to 85 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

It is of interest to determine whether COX-2 inhibitors given with radiation therapy can prolong the progression-free survival in brain stem glioma. Diffuse pontine brainstem gliomas are more common in children, but are also seen in adults. However, the use of commercially available COX-2 inhibitors has not been evaluated in the pediatric population and the proper dosing in pediatrics is unknown. Therefore a Phase I study will need to be conducted as a first step. Rofecoxib is an FDA approved COX-2 inhibitor for use in adults. This phase I study is designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose of Rofecoxib given concurrently with standard radiation therapy for diffuse pontine brainstem glioma.

Read the detailed description

Rofecoxib is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

Patients in this study will take a certain amount of rofecoxib by mouth either once or twice a day during treatment with radiation therapy. They will continue to take rofecoxib for 6 months after the end of radiation therapy. Different dose levels will be given to different patients based on a statistical dose escalation (increase) program run on a computer called the Continuous Reassessment Method. At least 3 patients will be treated on each dose level starting at the lowest level. All patients are required to fill out a medication diary, documenting the dose of rofecoxib they are taking and the time they take it.

Patients will receive radiation therapy once a day, five days a week for six weeks.

During treatment, patients will have a weekly exam, including blood work and urine tests. The blood work will include liver and kidney function tests as well as coagulation (blood clotting) tests.

Patients will be taken off study if intolerable side effects occur, including bleeding and/or severe allergic response.

During the 6 months after completion of radiation, while patients are still receiving rofecoxib, monthly medical histories, physical exams, blood tests, and urine tests will be performed. Patients will have a MRI at 1, 3, and 6 months after completion of radiation therapy.

The first year after completion of rofecoxib therapy, patients will be interviewed and examined with blood and urine tests and MRI every 3 months. During 1-3 years following completion of rofecoxib therapy, this will be repeated every 6 months. After 3 years following completion of rofecoxib, follow-ups will occur yearly.

This is an investigational study. Rofecoxib is currently approved by the FDA for use in adults only. A maximum of 30 patients will take part in this study at UTMDACC.

02

Conditions studied

  • Glioma
  • Brain Neoplasms

Keywords

  • Brain Stem Tumor
03

In context

Glioma

1,397 studies on the registry are indexed under Glioma; 351 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 8 is below the median of 32 across 1,065 interventional studies indexed under Glioma.

Browse Glioma studies →

Lead sponsor

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is the lead sponsor of 2,999 studies on the registry; 581 are open to participants now.

Of its 599 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 402 (67%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
3 Years to 85 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Newly diagnosed infiltrating lesion involving the pons and an MRI pattern of diffuse infiltration, that is not focal. The tumor may extend beyond the boundary of the pons.
  • MRI of the brain with or without gadolinium within 4 weeks of starting therapy.
  • Clinical history \< 6 months duration
  • Children >3 years of age and adults >18 years of age
  • Treatment to begin within 6 weeks of diagnosis.
  • Written informed consent
  • Performance status: ECOG 0,1,2 or equivalent Lansky Play Performance Scale.
  • All patients must have adequate bone marrow function (ANC>1000, platelets >100,000, SGPT \< 2.5x ULN) and renal function (creatinine clearance >50/ml/min/1.73 m2 or age-adjusted serum creatinine \< 3x ULN)

    • MRI of the spine within 4 weeks of starting therapy.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy. All participants who are of child-bearing age must agree to use a method of birth control/pregnancy prevention.
  • Bilirubin > 3x ULN.
  • History of gastrointestinal bleeding.
  • History of GI perforation due to ulcerative disease.
  • Patients who have experienced asthma, urticaria, or allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Prior therapy (Dexamethasone is not considered therapy.)
  • Prior malignancy
  • Metastasis to the spine.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
8 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Vioxx MTD

    Drug: Vioxx

Interventions

  • DrugVioxx

    Starting dose for patients age 3-14 years 10.0 mg/1.73 m2 and for patients above 14 years of age 12.5 mg for 5 days per week for 6 weeks during radiation treatment, and 7 days per week for 6 months after radiation treatment.

    Also known as: Rofecoxib

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Maximum tolerated dose of VIOXX (rofecoxib) with 6 weeks of daily cranial radiation therapy

    Maximum Tolerated Dose defined using each level's dose limiting toxicity (DLT) and continuous reassessment method (CRM).

    Time frame: 1 month following radiation therapy

07

Study locations

1 site
  • UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, Texas 77030, United States
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References and documents

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 1, 2018, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00038389
Lead sponsor
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
May 31, 2002
Start date
Oct 2001
Primary completion
Oct 2004
Completion
Jan 2005
Last update
Nov 1, 2018

Study contacts

Eric L. Chang, MD
principal investigator · UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is terminated, as verified in Oct 2018. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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