Temozolomide Plus Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Anaplastic Oligodendrogliomas or Mixed Anaplastic Oligoastrocytomas

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically or cytologically confirmed supratentorial pure or mixed anaplastic oligodendroglioma
• •* Unifocal or multifocal disease
• •* Prior suspected or proven low-grade glioma eligible provided biopsy reveals pure or mixed anaplastic oligodendroglioma that has not been previously treated with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
• •No equivocal oligodendroglial element
• •No tumors predominantly located in the posterior fossa (i.e., brainstem or cerebellum)
• •No spinal cord tumors
• •No evidence of spinal drop metastasis or spread to noncontiguous meninges
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •18 to 65
• •Performance status:
• •Zubrod 0-1
• •Life expectancy:
• •More than 12 weeks
• •Hematopoietic:
• •Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin no greater than 2 times normal
• •Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) no greater than 3 times normal
• •Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times normal
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times normal
• •Other:
• •No active infection
• •No other medical problems that would preclude study participation
• •No other malignancy within the past 3 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or nonmelanoma skin cancer
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Chemotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •No prior chemotherapy for this malignancy
• •No prior temozolomide
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Radiotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •No prior radiotherapy to the brain, head, or neck
• •Surgery:
• •At least 14 days since prior surgery requiring general anesthesia