ZD 1839 in Treating Patients With Glioblastoma Multiforme in First Relapse

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed glioblastoma multiforme in first relapse
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy:
• More than 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST/ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Renal:
• Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN
• Cardiovascular:
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• Other:
• No other uncontrolled concurrent illness
• No ongoing or active infection
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• No prior allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to ZD 1839
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Ocular inflammation must be fully treated before study entry
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
• Endocrine therapy:
• Must be on stable dose of steroids for at least 1 week
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• Surgery:
• At least 1 week since prior surgery
• Other:
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV
• No concurrent enzyme-inducing anticonvulsant drugs