More Complete Removal of Malignant Brain Tumors by Fluorescence-Guided Surgery

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients must have a clinically documented primary brain tumor for which resection is clinically indicated. Individuals with suspected newly diagnosed or recurrent malignant gliomas will be considered eligible for the study. Sixty (60) newly diagnosed and recurrent malignant gliomas will be enrolled in this study. The anticipated histology at resection should include: Anaplastic astrocytoma (10002224), Anaplastic ependymoma, Anaplastic oligodendroglioma, Astrocytoma malignant NOS (10003572), Glioblastoma (10018336), Glioblastoma multiforme (10018337), or Gliosarcoma (10018340).
• Prior therapy is not a consideration in protocol entry.
• Age 18-80.
• ECOG performance status <2 (Karnofsky >60%, see Appendix A).
• 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.

• The effects of Aminolevulinic Acid (ALA) on the developing human fetus are unknown. For this reason, 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. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately.
• Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prior therapy is not an exclusion criterion.
• Tumors of or involving the midline, basal ganglia, or brain stem as assessed by MRI
• Patients may not be receiving any experimental therapies.
• History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to aminolevulinic acid (ALA). Patients should refrain from use of other potential phototoxic substances (e.g. tetracyclines, sulfonamides,fluoroquinolones, hypericin extracts) for 72 h.
• Personal or family history of porphorias.
• Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.Pregnant women are excluded from this study because aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is of unknown teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with aminolevulinic acid (ALA), breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with aminolevulinic acid (ALA)
• Inclusion of Women and Minorities: Both men and women and members of all ethnic groups are eligible for this trial.