SU5416 in Treating Patients With Recurrent Astrocytoma or Mixed Glioma That Has Not Responded to Radiation Therapy

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically proven supratentorial malignant primary glioma, including:
• * Glioblastoma multiforme
• * Anaplastic astrocytoma
• * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
• * Anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma
• * Malignant astrocytoma not otherwise specified
• * Benign or malignant meningiomas, including brain and spinal meningiomas
• Patients with meningiomas are excluded from phase II portion of study
• Must have shown unequivocal evidence of tumor recurrence or progression by CT scan or MRI
• Must have failed prior radiotherapy
• Must have prestudy contrast MRI or contrast CT scan of brain on stable steroid dose within the past 14 days
• * Must be on stable (unchanged) dose of steroids for at least 5 days before scans
• Phase II:
• * Must have completed radiotherapy at least 2 months prior to enrollment
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy:
• More than 8 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 2,300/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 8 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• Hepatic:
• SGOT less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• Bilirubin normal
• No significant active hepatic disease
• Renal:
• Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
• No significant active renal disease
• Cardiovascular:
• No uncompensated coronary artery disease on ECG or physical examination
• No history of myocardial infarction or severe/unstable angina within the past 6 months
• No deep venous or arterial thrombosis within the past 3 months
• Pulmonary:
• No pulmonary embolism within the past 3 months
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after study
• No other serious concurrent illness
• No significant active psychiatric disease
• No diabetes mellitus with severe peripheral vascular disease
• No other malignancy within the past 3 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No serious active infection
• No other concurrent disease that would obscure toxic effects or dangerously alter drug metabolism
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• At least 3 weeks since prior biologic therapy (e.g., interferon) and recovered
• No concurrent immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy:
• Phase I:
• * No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens for recurrent disease
• Phase II:
• * No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for recurrent disease
• At least 2 weeks since prior vincristine
• At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas
• At least 3 weeks since prior procarbazine
• Recovered from prior chemotherapy
• No concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior endocrine therapy (e.g., tamoxifen) and recovered
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• Recovered from prior surgery
• Recent prior resection of recurrent or progressive tumor allowed
• Other:
• No other concurrent investigational agents