Methylphenidate to Improve Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Brain Tumors

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed metastatic brain tumor OR
• Histologically confirmed primary brain tumor
• * Glioblastoma multiforme
• * Anaplastic astrocytoma
• * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
• * Anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma
• * Low-grade glioma
• * Meningioma
• * Ependymoma
• Planned external beam cranial radiotherapy (partial or whole brain) with a total dose of at least 25 Gy in at least 10 fractions of 180-300 cGy each
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 70-100%
• Life expectancy:
• At least 3 months
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL
• Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Not specified
• Renal:
• Not specified
• Cardiovascular:
• No hypertension or other cardiovascular disease requiring antihypertensives and/or other cardiovascular medications
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study participation
• No hypersensitivity to study drug
• No history of steroid psychosis
• No family history of or active Tourette's Syndrome
• No prior or active glaucoma
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• Prior or concurrent chemotherapy allowed
• Endocrine therapy:
• Concurrent steroids allowed
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Prior radiotherapy allowed except to brain (including stereotactic radiosurgery)
• No concurrent craniospinal axis radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• Not specified
• Other:
• No prior or concurrent medications for attention deficit disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, or substance abuse
• No concurrent anti-depressants