OBJECTIVES:
Primary
* Determine the maximum tolerated dose of nelfinavir mesylate when given concurrently with radiotherapy and temozolomide followed by temozolomide alone in patients with glioblastoma multiforme.
* Determine the safety and dose-limiting toxicities of this regimen in these patients.
Secondary
* Determine the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients treated with this regimen.
* Compare the observed median values of PFS and OS obtained in this study to the historical median values of 6.9 months and 14.6 months, respectively.
OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of nelfinavir mesylate.
Patients receive oral nelfinavir mesylate twice daily beginning 7-10 days before the initiation of chemoradiotherapy and continuing until the completion of chemoradiotherapy. Patients undergo radiotherapy once daily 5 days a week and receive concurrent oral temozolomide once daily for 6 weeks. Beginning 4 weeks after completion of nelfinavir mesylate and chemoradiotherapy, patients receive oral temozolomide alone once daily on days 1-5. Treatment with temozolomide repeats every 28 days for up to 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
After completion of study therapy, patients are followed periodically.