Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Progressive Malignant Glioma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically proven recurrent or progressive malignant glioma of one of the following types:
• * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma or oligoastrocytoma
• * Anaplastic astrocytoma
• * Glioblastoma multiforme (stratum closed to accrual 11/30/01)
• Patients who have failed radiotherapy are eligible
• Measurable disease by CT scan or MRI
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 70-100%
• Life expectancy:
• At least 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin greater than 10 g/dL
• Hepatic:
• SGOT or SGPT less than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times ULN (if greater than 2 times ULN then a gamma glutamyl transferase test must be performed)
• Renal:
• BUN less than 1.5 times ULN
• Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception
• No other serious concurrent infection or other medical illness that would preclude study entry
• No frequent vomiting or partial bowel obstruction
• HIV negative
• No AIDS-related illness
• No other concurrent malignancy except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal cell skin cancer
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No concurrent epoetin alfa
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 6 weeks since other prior chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 months since prior radiotherapy (exceptions allowed for recurrent/progressive disease at discretion of primary investigator)
• Surgery:
• Recovered from prior surgery
• Other:
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• Concurrent anticonvulsant therapy allowed