Immunotoxin Therapy in Treating Children With Progressive or Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme or Anaplastic Astrocytoma

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed glioblastoma multiforme or anaplastic astrocytoma with the following tumor characteristics:
• •* Unifocal
• •* Unilateral and supratentorial
• •* Diameter no greater than 3.5 cm by contrast-enhanced MRI
• •No more than 1 satellite tumor
• •Recurrent or progressive disease
• •* Progressive disease defined as at least 25% increase in tumor volume by serial MRI or CT scans and/or at least 15% increase in the largest cross-sectional area of tumor as defined by the area of contrast agent enhancement
• •Must have received prior conventional treatment comprising both of the following:
• •* Surgery (biopsy or debulking)
• •* Radiation therapy
• •No evidence of mass effect on CT scan or MRI with more than a 5 mm midline shift and/or nausea, vomiting, reduced level of consciousness, or clinically significant papilledema
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age
• •5 to 18
• •Performance status
• •Karnofsky 60-100% OR
• •Lansky Play 50-100%
• •Life expectancy
• •At least 3 months
• •Hematopoietic
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic
• •Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• •AST and ALT no greater than 2.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •PT or aPTT no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• •Renal
• •Not specified
• •Other
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 2 months after study
• •No acute viral, bacterial, or fungal infection requiring therapy
• •* Topical treatment for oral candidiasis allowed
• •No other concurrent medical condition that would preclude anesthesia
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy
• •No prior transferrin-CRM107
• •Chemotherapy
• •More than 1 month since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)
• •More than 3 months since prior biodegradable polymer wafers
• •No concurrent chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy
• •Must be on stable dose of steroids for 7 days prior to infusion
• •Radiotherapy
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •More than 3 months since prior radiotherapy
• •More than 3 months since prior stereotactic radiosurgery
• •More than 6 weeks since prior craniospinal irradiation
• •No prior brachytherapy
• •No concurrent radiotherapy
• •Surgery
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •More than 1 month since prior surgery including tumor surgery or debulking
• •No other concurrent surgery
• •Other
• •More than 30 days since prior investigational agents
• •No other concurrent investigational therapy
• •No other concurrent anti-cancer drugs