Rituximab, Temozolomide, and Methylprednisolone in Treating Patients With Recurrent Primary CNS Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as temozolomide and methylprednisolone, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Rituximab may help chemotherapy kill more cancer cells by making cancer cells more sensitive to the drugs. Giving rituximab together with temozolomide and methylprednisolone may be an effective treatment for primary CNS non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving rituximab together with temozolomide and methylprednisolone works in treating patients with recurrent primary CNS non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine the response rate in patients with recurrent primary CNS non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated with rituximab, temozolomide, and methylprednisolone. Secondary * Determine the overall and 6-month progression-free survival of patients treated with this regimen. OUTLINE: Induction therapy: Patients receive rituximab IV over 30-60 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 and oral temozolomide daily on days 1-7 and 15-21. After day 28, patients with stable disease or better proceed to consolidation therapy. Consolidation therapy: Patients receive oral temozolomide daily on days 1-5. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 6 courses. Patients achieving a complete remission proceed to maintenance therapy. Maintenance therapy: Patients receive methylprednisolone IV over 2 hours on day 1. Courses repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 3 months. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 40 patients will be accrued for this study within approximately 13.3 months.