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.