Genetic Study of Newly Diagnosed Central Nervous System Tumors in Young Children

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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RATIONALE: Genetic studies may help in understanding the genetic processes involved in the development of some types of cancer. PURPOSE: Genetic study to learn more about genes involved in the development of central nervous system tumors in young children.

Detailed Description
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OBJECTIVES: Identify known genes that have significantly different levels of expression, using microarray gene chip analysis, in infants with newly diagnosed metastatic vs non-metastatic embryonal central nervous system tumors. Determine the protein expression of genes identified by microarray analysis that are involved in cellular functions that regulate angiogenesis, invasion, or metastasis in this patient population. Determine the quantity of gene expression of the confirmed translationally expressed genes using semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Tumor samples are analyzed using microarray gene chip analysis. Differentially expressed genes are evaluated for protein expression by standard immunohistochemistry and/or Western blot analysis, and gene expression is further quantified by semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 80-100 patients (20-25 with metastatic disease and 60-75 with non-metastatic disease) will be accrued for this study within 4-5 years.

Official Title
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Gene Expression Profiling of Infant Embryonal Central Nervous System Tumors by Microarray Gene Chip Analysis: Angiogenesis, Invasion and Metastasis

Conditions
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Central Nervous System Embryonal Neoplasm

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed, newly diagnosed, primary intracranial embryonal central nervous system tumor Medulloblastoma Primitive neuroectodermal tumor Medulloepithelioma Ependymoblastoma Neuroblastoma Pineoblastoma Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor Intracranial germ cell tumor Choroid plexus carcinoma M positive ependymoma Potential enrollment on PBTC-001 therapeutic protocol PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Under 3 Performance status: Not specified Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Not specified PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Prior steroids allowed Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified Other: No concurrent investigational agents

Ages Eligible for Study
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Maximum Age: 2 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Newly diagnosed embryonal tumors<br>The participants in this study are infants (< 3 years of age) with newly diagnosed medulloblastoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor, or other embryonal tumor, atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor, intracranial germ cell tumor, or choroid plexus carcinoma who have received no prior therapy with the exception of steroids and have consented to allow research studies on banked tissue specimens | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Genes that are expressed in metastatic vs. non-metastatic tumors |  | Prior to therapy | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Protein expression of genes found to be expressed |  | Prior to therapy | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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childhood central nervous system germ cell tumor, childhood choroid plexus tumor, untreated childhood supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor, untreated childhood medulloblastoma, newly diagnosed childhood ependymoma