Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Progressive Low-Grade Glioma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed progressive, primary, intracranial, supratentorial, low-grade glioma including:
• * Astrocytoma
• * Oligodendroglioma
• * Mixed glioma
• * Optic pathway glioma\*
• * Pontine glioma\* NOTE: \*Biopsy not required
• Patients with optic pathway glioma must also meet the following criteria:
• * Progressive loss of vision as defined by doubling of octaves
• * Visual acuity loss not explained by other causes
• * Increase in proptosis of greater than 3 mm
• * Increase in diameter of optic nerve of at least 2 mm on neuroimaging
• * Increase in distribution of tumor involving optic tracts or optic radiations as indicated by CT scan or MRI
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 4 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 70-100%
• Life expectancy:
• More than 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT and SGPT less than 2.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times ULN
• Renal:
• Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN
• BUN less than 1.5 times ULN
• Other:
• Must be neurologically stable
• No systemic disease
• No acute infection requiring IV antibiotics
• No frequent vomiting
• No other medical condition that would interfere with oral medication (e.g., partial bowel obstruction)
• No other prior or concurrent malignancies except:
• * Surgically cured carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• * Basal or squamous cell skin cancer
• HIV negative
• No AIDS-related illness
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No concurrent biologic therapy (growth factors or epoetin alfa)
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 6 weeks since prior chemotherapy unless evidence of disease progression
• No other concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 6 weeks since prior radiotherapy unless evidence of disease progression
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• At least 3 weeks since prior surgery unless evidence of disease progression
• Recovered from all prior surgery
• Other:
• No other concurrent investigational drugs