Computer Planned Radiation Therapy Plus Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Glioblastoma Multiforme

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed glioblastoma multiforme with areas of necrosis as diagnosed by surgical biopsy or subtotal excision
• * Supratentorial tumor
• Gross measurable residual disease
• No well-differentiated or anaplastic astrocytoma, multifocal glioma, or recurrent glioblastoma multiforme
• Therapy must begin within 5 weeks after surgery but within 1 week after registration
• CT or MRI scan preoperatively and MRI postoperatively prior to initiation of radiotherapy
• * If undergoing a stereotactic-guided needle biopsy, not required to repeat MRI after procedure if the prebiopsy MRI is suitable for treatment planning
• Prior complete surgical resection of tumor allowed
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 2 mg/dL
• SGPT (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase) or SGOT (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase) no greater than 2 times normal
• Renal:
• BUN (blood urea nitrogen) no greater than 30 mg/dL
• Creatinine no greater than 1.8 mg/dL
• Pulmonary:
• Normal chest x-ray OR
• DLCO (carbon monoxide diffusing capacity) at least 60% predicted
• Other:
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or bladder, ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast, or nonmelanomatous skin cancer
• Neurologic functional status 0-3
• No major medical illness or psychiatric impairments that would preclude study participation
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior systemic chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• No prior radiotherapy to head or neck
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics