Temozolomide Followed by Radiation Therapy in Treating Children With Newly Diagnosed Malignant CNS Tumors

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed newly diagnosed malignant central nervous system tumor not requiring immediate radiotherapy
• Patients with diffuse pontine tumors do not require histological confirmation
• Eligible types include the following:
• * Ependymoma
• * Malignant glioma
• * Anaplastic astrocytoma
• * Glioblastoma multiforme
• * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
• * Gliosarcoma
• * Anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma
• * Brainstem glioma
• * Primitive neuroectodermal tumor
• * Nongerminoma germ cell tumor
• At least one bidimensionally measurable lesion
• * At least 1.5 cm2 within 72 hours of surgical resection or greater than 14 days after surgery
• * Diffuse pontine tumors are not required to be measurable
• Neurologically stable
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 4 to 21
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky or Lansky 70-100%
• Life expectancy:
• Greater than 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times ULN
• SGOT and SGPT less than 2.5 times ULN
• Renal:
• BUN and creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN
• Other:
• Must be able to swallow capsules
• No acute infection treated with intravenous antibiotics
• No nonmalignant systemic disease that makes patient a poor medical risk
• No frequent vomiting or medical condition that may interfere with oral medication intake (e.g., partial bowel obstruction)
• No other prior or concurrent malignancies except surgically cured carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
• HIV negative
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No more than one prior biologic therapy regimen
• No concurrent biologic therapy
• No concurrent growth factors or epoetin alfa
• Chemotherapy:
• No more than one prior chemotherapy regimen
• No other concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• No increasing doses of steroids within one week of study
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• At least 2 weeks, but no greater than 4 weeks, since prior surgical resection and recovered
• Other:
• No other concurrent investigational drugs