Brain Cancer Clinical Trials
There are 37 actively recruiting brain cancer clinical trials across 11 countries. Studies span Phase 2, Not Applicable, Phase 1, Early Phase 1, Phase 3, Phase 4. Top locations include New York, New York, United States, Miami, Florida, United States, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Updated daily from ClinicalTrials.gov.
Brain Cancer Trials at a Glance
37 actively recruiting trials for brain cancer are listed on ClinicalTrialsFinder across 6 cities in 11 countries. The largest study group is Phase 2 with 13 trials, with the heaviest enrollment activity in New York, Miami, and Milwaukee. Lead sponsors running brain cancer studies include Northwell Health, Baptist Health South Florida, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Browse brain cancer trials by phase
Top cities for brain cancer trials
Understanding Brain Cancer Clinical Trials
Temozolomide (Temodar), validated through a landmark clinical trial published in 2005, became the first drug to meaningfully extend survival in glioblastoma when combined with radiation, and it remains the backbone of standard treatment two decades later. More recently, tumor treating fields (TTFields, marketed as Optune) emerged from clinical trials as a novel device-based therapy that further improves survival when added to temozolomide. Despite these advances, glioblastoma — the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults — still carries a median survival of around 15-20 months, underscoring the urgent need for clinical trials to develop more effective treatments.
Why Consider a Clinical Trial?
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Brain Cancer clinical trials
Yes. Clinical trials for brain tumors are generally specific to the tumor type and grade. Glioblastoma trials are separate from trials for lower-grade gliomas, meningiomas, or brain metastases. Your exact diagnosis, confirmed through pathology and molecular testing, determines which trials apply to you.
Some trials do require a surgical biopsy or resection, particularly those testing locally delivered therapies or those that need fresh tumor tissue for biomarker analysis. However, many drug-based trials can enroll patients based on existing tissue from a prior surgery. The trial protocol will clearly state any surgical requirements.
Many trials allow steroid use but may require that you be on a stable or decreasing dose. Anti-seizure medications are generally permitted, though some older trials had restrictions on enzyme-inducing anti-epileptics. Discuss your current medications with the trial coordinator, as requirements vary by study.
IDH1 or IDH2 mutations are found in most lower-grade gliomas and a small subset of glioblastomas. Tumors with IDH mutations generally have a better prognosis and different biology than IDH-wildtype tumors. Several trials are now testing drugs specifically designed to inhibit mutant IDH, such as vorasidenib, which has shown promising results in slowing tumor growth.
Most brain cancer trials require MRI scans every six to eight weeks during active treatment, and every two to three months during follow-up. These scans are used to measure the tumor response and guide treatment decisions. The frequent imaging is actually a benefit, as it can detect changes earlier than standard monitoring schedules.
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