Carmustine in Treating Patients With Progressive or Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically proven supratentorial malignant glioblastoma multiforme
• * Clear evidence of disease progression by MRI
• * Unresectable tumor that has spherical, spheroid, or ovoid shape (not multicentric or multilobulated)
• * Central necrosis and/or central cystic areas allowed in the presence of enhancing rim thickness greater than 5 mm
• * No brainstem (pons or medulla) or midbrain (mesencephalon) involvement
• * No involvement of primary sensorimotor cortex in the dominant hemisphere or within 1.5 cm of the optic chiasm, either optic nerve, or any other cranial nerve
• * No tumor extension into the ventricular system
• * Tumor volume no greater than 33.4 cm3
• At least one prior radiotherapy
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 to 75
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• No evidence of bleeding diathesis
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• SGOT/SGPT no greater than 2.5 times normal
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 40 mL/min
• BUN no greater than 30 mg/dL
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No active uncontrolled infection
• Afebrile unless fever due to presence of tumor
• No other concurrent serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin including Gliadel wafer therapy) and recovered
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• No prior intracranial brachytherapy
• Surgery:
• Recovered from any prior surgery
• Other:
• No prior anticoagulants
• No other concurrent investigational agents