valproic acid and radiation, followed by valproic acid and bevacizumab for Gliomas

Currently, there are few effective treatments for the following aggressive brain tumors: glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, gliomatosis cerebri, gliosarcoma, or brainstem glioma. Surgery and radiation can generally slow down these aggressive brain tumors, but in the majority of patients, these tumors will start growing again in 6-12 months. Adding chemotherapy drugs to surgery and radiation does not clearly improve the cure rate of children with malignant gliomas. The investigators are conducting this study to see if the combination of valproic acid and bevacizumab (also known as AvastinTM) with surgery and radiation will shrink these brain tumors more effectively and improve the chance of cure.