Vorinostat, Temozolomide, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of vorinostat in patients with newly
diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and gliosarcomas, who are also receiving concomitant
radiation therapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ). (Phase I) II. To define the safety of
vorinostat with RT and TMZ in this population. (Phase II) III. To determine the efficacy of
vorinostat in combination with RT and TMZ followed by vorinostat in combination with TMZ in
patients with newly-diagnosed GBM and gliosarcomas as measured by overall survival at 15
months (OS15). (Phase II)

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine progression-free survival in newly diagnosed GBM and gliosarcoma patients
treated with the study regimen. (Phase II) II. To further evaluate the safety profile of
vorinostat in combination with RT and TMZ in this patient population. (Phase II) III.
Determine the neurocognitive effects in patients treated on this protocol and correlate these
results with outcome endpoints. (Phase II)

TERTIARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To explore the extent to which the tumor's molecular characteristics and expression
profile correlate with outcome.

II. Evaluate potential mechanisms of therapy resistance in tumor samples obtained at the time
of tumor progression.

OUTLINE: This is a phase I, dose-escalation study of vorinostat followed by a phase II study.

Patients undergo radiotherapy and receive vorinostat orally (PO) once daily (QD) on days 1-5,
8-12, 15-19, 22-26, 29-33, and 36-40. Patients also receive temozolomide PO QD on days 1-42.
Beginning 4-6 weeks later, patients receive vorinostat PO QD on days 1-7 and 15-21 and
temozolomide PO QD on days 1-5. Treatment with vorinostat and temozolomide repeats every 28
days for up to 12 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 2 months for 1 year,
every 3 months for 1 year and then every 6 months for 3 years.

Inclusion Criteria:

- PRE-REGISTRATION:

- Central pathology review submission; this review is mandatory prior to registration to
confirm eligibility; it should be initiated as soon after surgery as possible

- Treatment should begin >= 2 weeks and =< 5 weeks following surgery

- REGISTRATION:

- Histologically confirmed glioblastoma multiforme as determined by pre-registration
central pathology review; Note: gliosarcomas and other grade 4 astrocytoma variants
(e.g., giant cell) are eligible

- Measurable or evaluable disease by gadolinium magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or
contrast computed tomography (CT) scan; Note: patients who have had a gross total
resection (GTR) are eligible on the basis of evaluable disease

- Must begin partial brain radiotherapy on the same day that vorinostat and
temozolomide begin

- Karnofsky performance status of >= 60

- Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0, 1, or 2

- Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count >= 100,000/mm^3

- White blood cell (WBC) >= 3,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin >= 10.0 g/dL; Note: this level may be reached by transfusion

- Total bilirubin =< 2.0 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)

- Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) (aspartate aminotransferase [AST]) =<
2.0 x ULN

- Creatinine =< 1.5 mg/dL

- Life expectancy >= 12 weeks

- Negative serum pregnancy test done =< 7 days prior to registration, for women of
childbearing potential only

- For Phase I established MTD and Phase II patients only: Willing and able to complete
neurocognitive testing

- Ability to provide informed written consent

- Willing to return to Alliance or Adult Brain Tumor Consortium (ABTC) enrolling
institution for follow-up

- Phase I established MTD patients and Phase II patients: Willing to provide mandatory
tissue samples (slides or blocks) for research purposes

- Willing to forego other cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic drug therapy against the tumor
while being treated with vorinostat and temozolomide

Exclusion Criteria:

- Any of the following:

- Pregnant women

- Nursing women

- Men or women of childbearing potential who are unwilling to employ adequate
contraception throughout the duration of the study and for 12 weeks after
treatment has ended

- Prior cytotoxic drug therapy, non-cytotoxic drug therapy, or experimental drug therapy
for brain tumors

- Prior cranial RT

- Prior Gliadel wafers

- Known hypersensitivity to any of the components of vorinostat or other agents used in
study

- Valproic acid, another histone deacetylase inhibitor, =< 2 weeks prior to registration
and during treatment

- Other active malignancy =< 3 years prior to registration; Exception: non-melanotic
skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix; Note: if there is a history of prior
malignancy, they must not be receiving other specific treatment (other than hormonal
therapy) for their cancer

- Uncontrolled infection

- Immunocompromised patients and patients known to be human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
positive and currently receiving antiretroviral therapy; Note: patients known to be
HIV positive, but without clinical evidence of an immunocompromised state, are
eligible for this trial

- Co-morbid systemic illness or other severe concurrent disease which, in the judgment
of the investigator, would make the patient inappropriate for entry into this study or
interfere significantly with proper assessment of safety and adverse events of the
prescribed regimens

- Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active
infection, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with
study requirements

- History of myocardial infarction or unstable angina =< 6 months prior to registration
or congestive heart failure (CHF) requiring use of ongoing maintenance therapy for
life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias

- New York Heart Association (NYHA) >= Class II Congestive Heart Failure

- Inability to take oral medications

- Receiving any other investigational agent which would be considered as a treatment for
the primary neoplasm

- Congenital long QT syndrome

- Prolonged corrected (QTc) interval (> 450 msec)

- Any of the following Category I drugs that are generally accepted to have a risk of
causing Torsades de Pointes =< 7 days prior to registration

- Quinidine, procainamide, disopyramide

- Amiodarone, sotalol, ibutilide, dofetilide

- Erythromycin, clarithromycin

- Chlorpromazine, haloperidol, mesoridazine, thioridazine, pimozide

- Cisapride, bepridil, droperidol, methadone, arsenic, chloroquine, domperidone,
halofantrine, levomethadyl, pentamidine, sparfloxacin, lidoflazine