OBJECTIVES:
* Determine the progression-free and overall survival of patients with supratentorial malignant gliomas (WHO grade III or IV) receiving radiotherapy with concurrent and adjuvant temozolomide, tamoxifen citrate, and carboplatin.
* Determine the acute and delayed treatment-related toxicities in these patients.
* Determine tumor response in patients with postoperative measurable disease.
OUTLINE: This is an open-label, pilot study.
* Induction therapy: Patients receive oral temozolomide twice daily and oral tamoxifen citrate twice daily on days 1-42 and carboplatin IV over 60 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and 36. Patients also receive radiotherapy on days 1-5 in weeks 1-6.
* Consolidation therapy: Beginning 4 weeks after the completion of induction therapy, patients receive temozolomide, tamoxifen citrate, and carboplatin as in induction therapy. Treatment repeats every 8 weeks for up to 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed periodically for 5 years.