Gimatecan in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Progressive Primary Malignant Glioma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed malignant glioma (glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, or anaplastic oligodendroglioma)
• * Recurrent or progressive primary CNS neoplasm by contrast-enhanced MRI
• Tumor progression after prior surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• Failed prior standard curative or palliative therapy (phase I only)
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy
• At least 3 months
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 2,000/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• SGPT and SGOT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (3 times ULN if liver metastases are present)
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases are present)
• Bilirubin normal
• Renal
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Cardiovascular
• No myocardial infarction with the past year
• No heart failure (including cardiac insufficiency controlled by digitalis and diuretics)
• No irreversible arrhythmias requiring permanent medication
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• Gastrointestinal
• No gastrointestinal dysfunction that would alter absorption or motility, such as any of the following:
• * Active peptic ulcer
• * Inflammatory bowel disease
• * Known intolerance to lactose
• * Malabsorption syndromes
• * Intestinal sub-occlusion
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception
• No active infection
• No mentally incapacitated patients
• No other concurrent severe disease that would preclude study participation
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• No concurrent immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas)
• No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen
• No other concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy
• Concurrent corticosteroids allowed if dose stable for the past 2 weeks
• No concurrent hormonal therapy
• Radiotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior surgical resection
• No prior gastrointestinal surgery that would affect drug absorption
• Other
• More than 4 weeks since prior participation in any other investigational drug study
• More than 72 hours since prior systemic antibiotics
• No concurrent H2 antagonists, antacids, or proton pump inhibitors
• * If any of these therapies are necessary, ≥ 3 hours must elapse after gimatecan administration
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No other concurrent investigational drugs
• No other concurrent immunosuppressive agents