Expanded Natural Killer Cell Infusion in Treating Younger Patients With Recurrent/Refractory Brain Tumors

This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of expanded natural killer cells in treating younger patients with brain tumors that have come back or do not respond to treatment. Infusing a particular type of a patient's own white blood cells called natural killer cells that have been through a procedure to expand (increase) their numbers may work in treating patients with recurrent/refractory brain tumors.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To establish the safety, feasibility, efficacy, and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of administering autologous natural killer (NK) cells that have been propagated ex vivo with artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPC) and administered directly into the ventricle in recurrent /refractory malignant posterior fossa tumors. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess the antitumor activity based on imaging and cytology of autologous NK cell locoregional administration directly into the lateral or fourth ventricle. II. To determine the persistence of adoptively-transferred expanded NK cells (as performed with excess NK cells, via optional correlative studies). III. Determine the immunophenotype and function of expanded NK cells. IV. Determine the overall response of medulloblastoma to NK-cell therapy. V. Correlate NK cell persistence, phenotype, and function with overall response. OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study. Patients receive autologous expanded NK cells intravenously (IV) into the ventricle over 3 minutes once weekly on weeks 1-3. Treatment repeats every 4 weeks for up to 3 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients experiencing disease progression may continue treatment at the discretion of the treating physician if pseudo-progression or benefit of slowed progression is suspected. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up within 30 days.