Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy After Surgery in Treating Children With Newly Diagnosed Astrocytoma, Glioblastoma Multiforme, Gliosarcoma, or Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed newly diagnosed CNS tumor of the following types:
• •* High grade glioma (HGG) of one of the following histologies:
• •* Anaplastic astrocytoma (grade III)
• •* Glioblastoma multiforme (grade IV)
• •* Gliosarcoma
• •* Primary spinal cord malignant glioma
• •* Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG)
• •* Diagnosed by gadolinium-enhanced MRI
• •* At least 2/3 of tumor situated in the pons AND tumor clearly originated in the pons
• •* No diffuse leptomeningeal disease
• •* No tumors with features not typical of diffuse intrinsic brainstem glioma, including any of the following:
• •* Dorsally exophytic brainstem glioma
• •* Cervico-medullary junction tumor
• •* Focal low-grade glioma of the midbrain or brainstem
• •* No diffuse brainstem enlargement due to neurofibromatosis
• •No primary brain stem malignant glioma
• •No M+ disease (CSF positive for tumor or metastatic disease)
• •Must begin study radiotherapy within 6 weeks after surgical resection (for HGG patients) or diagnosis (for DIPG patients)
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •3 to 21
• •Performance status:
• •Karnofsky 50-100% OR
• •Lansky 50-100%
• •Life expectancy:
• •At least 2 months
• •Hematopoietic:
• •Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3\*
• •Hemoglobin at least 10.0 g/dL\* NOTE: \*Transfusion independent
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •SGOT or SGPT less than 2.5 times ULN
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• •Other:
• •No other concurrent malignancy
• •Concurrent seizure disorder allowed if well controlled on anticonvulsants
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after completion of study treatment
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic:
• •No concurrent routine cytokine support
• •Chemotherapy:
• •Not specified
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •No concurrent corticosteroids except for increased intracranial pressure in patients with CNS tumors
• •Radiotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •Surgery:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •Other:
• •No prior therapy for HGG or DIPG