Carmustine Wafers Plus Irinotecan in Treating Patients With Recurrent Supratentorial High Grade Gliomas

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed recurrent supratentorial glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, or gliosarcoma
• Must be able to undergo surgical resection
• At least 1 bidimensionally measurable lesion documented on Gd-MRI within 72 hours after surgical implantation of Gliadel wafers
• Not requiring immediate radiotherapy
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 70-100%
• Life expectancy:
• Greater than 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 125,000/mm\^3
• Hematocrit at least 29%
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT or SGPT less than 2.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times ULN
• Renal:
• BUN less than 1.5 times ULN
• Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN
• Neurological:
• Must be neurologically stable
• Other:
• HIV negative
• * No AIDS-related illness
• No nonmalignant systemic disease that would make patient a poor medical risk
• No acute infection requiring intravenous antibiotics
• Not pregnant or nursing
• * Negative pregnancy test 24 hours prior to study
• Effective contraception required of all fertile patients
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior irinotecan
• At least 6 weeks since chemotherapy unless there is unequivocal evidence of tumor progression after chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• At least 1 week of nonincreasing dose of steroids prior to study
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 6 weeks since radiotherapy unless there is unequivocal evidence of tumor progression after radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• Not specified