Carmustine in Treating Patients With Recurrent Malignant Glioma

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Pathologically confirmed recurrent malignant glioma for which surgery is indicated
• •Unilateral, supratentorial, solitary lesion at least 1.0 cm in diameter on contrast-enhanced CT or MRI
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •18 and over
• •Performance status:
• •Karnofsky 60-100%
• •Life expectancy:
• •At least 8 weeks
• •Hematopoietic:
• •WBC at least 3,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin, AST, ALT, and alkaline phosphatase less than 2.5 times normal
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine less than 1.5 times normal
• •BUN less than 2.5 times normal
• •Protein no greater than 3 g/dL
• •No gross hematuria
• •Other:
• •No hypersensitivity to nitrosoureas
• •Not pregnant
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •No concurrent life threatening disease
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •No concurrent immunotherapy during first 8 weeks of study
• •Chemotherapy:
• •At least 4 weeks since chemotherapy (6 weeks since nitrosoureas)
• •No concurrent chemotherapy during first 8 weeks of study
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Radiotherapy:
• •Prior definitive external-beam radiotherapy (i.e., at least 5,000 cGy) required
• •No concurrent radiotherapy or brachytherapy during first 4 weeks of study
• •Surgery:
• •Prior cytoreductive surgery for supratentorial brain tumor required
• •Biopsy alone not sufficient
• •Other:
• •No concurrent investigational therapy during first 8 weeks of study