Super-Selective Intraarterial Cerebral Infusion of Cetuximab for the Treatment of Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme and Anaplastic Astrocytoma

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male or female patients of greater than or equal to 18 years of age.
• Patients with a documented histologic diagnosis of relapsed or refractory (malignant tumors that recur or resist treatment) glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) or anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma (AOA).
• Patients must have at least one confirmed and evaluable tumor site. A confirmed tumor site is one in which is biopsy-proven. NOTE: Radiographic procedures (e.g., Gd-enhanced MRI or CT scans) documenting existing lesions must have been performed within three weeks of treatment on this research study.
• Patients must have a Karnofsky performance status greater than or equal to 60% (or the equivalent ECOG level of 0-2) (see Appendix A; Performance Status Evaluation) and an expected survival of greater than or equal to three months.
• No chemotherapy for two weeks prior to treatment under this research protocol and no external beam radiation for two weeks prior to treatment under this research protocol.
• Patients must have adequate hematologic reserve with WBC greater than or equal to 3000/mm3, absolute neutrophils greater than or equal to 1500/mm3 and platelets greater than or equal to 100,000/ mm3. Patients who are on Coumadin must have a platelet count of greater than or equal to 150,000/ mm3
• Pre-enrollment chemistry parameters must show: bilirubin less than 1.5X the institutional upper limit of normal(IUNL); AST or ALT less than 2.5X IUNL and creatinine less than 1.5X IUNL.
• Pre-enrollment coagulation parameters (PT and PTT) must be equal to or less than 1.5X the IUNL.
• Concomitant Medications
• Steroids Systemic corticosteroid therapy is permissible in patients with CNS tumors for treatment of increased intracranial pressure or symptomatic tumor edema. Patients with CNS tumors who are receiving dexamethasone must be on a stable or decreasing dose for at least 1 week prior to study entry. We do not believe that study procedures place subjects with increased intracranial pressure at any additional risk.
• Study Specific Patients on enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants or non-enzyme inducing anticonvulsants will be allowed on the study. Patients receiving proton pump inhibitor or H2 blockers will be allowed on study. Patients taking antacids will be allowed on study.
• Patients must agree to use a medically effective method of contraception during and for a period of three months after the treatment period. A pregnancy test will be performed on each premenopausal female of childbearing potential immediately prior to entry into the research study.
• Patients able to understand and give written informed consent and those patients that are cognitively impaired (which is common in GBM) are eligible for the trial. Informed consent must be obtained at the time of patient screening (prior to Day 0 of the procedure) either by the patient or a legalized authorized representative (LAR) of the patient ( health-care proxy).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women who are pregnant or lactating.
• Women of childbearing potential and fertile men will be informed as to the potential risk of procreation while participating in this research trial and will be advised that they must use effective contraception during and for a period of three months after the treatment period.
• Patients with significant inter-current medical or psychiatric conditions that would place them at increased risk or affect their ability to receive or comply with treatment or post-treatment clinical monitoring.