Can the Body's own immune cells beat a recurrent brain tumor?
NCT ID NCT01326104
First seen Aug 13, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This phase 2 trial tests whether giving patients their own tumor-specific immune cells, along with a dendritic cell vaccine, can help fight recurrent medulloblastoma or primitive neuroectodermal tumors. Participants receive these treatments after high-dose chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. The goal is to see if this approach can improve progression-free survival at 12 months compared to historical benchmarks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Tumor-specific T cells (TTRNA-xALT) and dendritic cell vaccines (TTRNA-DCs)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could offer a new way to fight recurrent brain tumors in children, potentially improving survival and pointing toward a cure.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-phase trial with a small number of patients, so results may not be conclusive. The treatment involves intensive chemotherapy and stem cell transplant, which carry significant risks.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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26 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2010
- Finished
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Mar 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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Up to 30 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Screening: * Age ≤ 30 years of age. * Suspected first recurrence/progression of MB/PNET since completion of definitive focal +/- craniospinal irradiation. Disease progression prior to receiving definitive focal +/- craniospinal irradiation will not disqualify patients from enrollment if they have subsequently failed definitive radiotherapy and are at first recurrence/progression at time of enrollment. Patients who are unable to receive radiation therapy due to genetic disorders that put them at significant risk for radiation-induced secondary malignancies (i.e. Gorlin's syndrome or NF1 mutation) are eligible for enrollment at first disease recurrence/progression. Re-MATCH Protocol: * Patients must have histologically confirmed recurrent MB/PNET that is a first relapse/progression after completion of definitive radiotherapy +/- craniospinal irradiation. Patients with a first relapse/progression who are unable to receive radiation therapy due to genetic disorders that put them at significant risk for radiation-induced secondary malignancies (ie. Gorlin's syndrome or NF1 mutation) are eligible for enrollment. * Patients with neurological deficits should have deficits that are stable for a minimum of 1 week prior to registration. * Karnofsky Performance Status of ≥ 50% or Lansky Performance Score of ≥ 50. * Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) ≥ 1000/µl (unsupported). * Platelets ≥ 100,000/µl (unsupported). * Hemoglobin \> 8 g/dL (may be supported). * Serum creatinine ≤ upper limit of institutional normal * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal for age. * Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase (ALT) ≤ 3 times institutional upper limit of normal for age. * Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase (AST) ≤ 3 times institutional upper limit of normal for age. * Patients of childbearing or child-fathering potential must be willing to use a medically acceptable form of birth control, which includes abstinence, while being treated on this study. * Patient or patient guardian consent to peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) and/or bone marrow harvest following registration if PBSC or bone marrow (CD34 count of at least 2x10\^6/kg) has not been previously stored and available for use. * Signed informed consent according to institutional guidelines must be obtained prior to registration. Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant or need to breast feed during the study period. * Active infection requiring treatment or an unexplained febrile (\> 101.5F) illness. * Known immunosuppressive disease, human immunodeficiency virus infection, or carriers of Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C virus. * Patients with active renal, cardiac (congestive cardiac failure, myocardial infarction, myocarditis), or pulmonary disease. * Patients receiving concomitant immunosuppressive agents for medical condition. * Patients who need definitive radiotherapy for treatment of recurrent MB/PNET. Focal boost radiotherapy may be delivered prior to immunotherapy if required for local control. * Patients receiving any other concurrent anticancer or investigational drug therapy. * Patients with any clinically significant unrelated systemic illness (serious infections or significant cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic or other organ dysfunction). * Patients with inability to return for follow-up visits or obtain follow-up studies required to assess toxicity to therapy.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, 90027, United States
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Children's National Medical Center
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20010, United States
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University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida, 32610, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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