O(6)-Benzylguanine in Treating Patients With Malignant Glioma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Must be undergoing a diagnostic/therapeutic craniotomy for biopsy/resection of recurrent or newly diagnosed (or presumed) cerebral anaplastic astrocytoma or glioblastoma multiforme
• * Patients undergoing stereotactic biopsy or partial resection are eligible
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• SWOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 3,500/mm3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,800/mm3
• Platelet count at least 125,000/mm3
• Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL
• SGOT less than 2 times upper limit of normal
• Renal:
• Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance greater than 70 mL/min
• Cardiovascular:
• No cardiovascular illnesses that cannot be adequately controlled with
• appropriate therapy or would increase risk, e.g.:
• Severe cardiac disease such as uncontrolled arrhythmias or conduction
• defects
• Major problems with edema (e.g., residual leg swelling from deep venous
• thrombosis)
• Recent coronary artery disease
• Poorly controlled hypertension (systolic pressure greater than 180 mm Hg,
• diastolic pressure greater than 110 mm Hg)
• Other:
• No other medical illnesses that cannot be adequately controlled with
• appropriate therapy or would increase risk, e.g.:
• Major problems with edema (e.g., Cushing's syndrome)
• Major psychiatric illness
• No other malignancy requiring active therapy
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must us effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• Must have failed or received no prior treatment with a nitrosourea,
• procarbazine, or temozolomide
• No prior O6-benzylguanine
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 6 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy to greater than 10-20% of bone marrow
• Other:
• No concurrent therapy for any other malignancy
• At least 2 weeks since other prior investigational drug