Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Mycosis Fungoides or Sezary Syndrome

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed mycosis fungoides or Sezary syndrome
• * Stage IB-IVB disease
• * Must have failed at least one prior systemic therapy
• * Generalized erythroderma allowed
• Measurable disease and at least one indicator lesion OR evaluable disease for erythrodermic patients only
• * Prior radiotherapy to areas of measurable disease allowed if disease progression is present in the site or if measurable disease is present outside irradiation port
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2 OR
• WHO 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• At least 3 months
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 2.2 mg/dL
• SGOT or SGPT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular:
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
• No clinically significant peripheral venous insufficiency
• Other:
• HIV negative
• No poorly controlled diabetes mellitus
• No acute infection requiring IV antibiotics
• No other medical condition that would prevent ingestion or absorption of oral medication
• No other neoplasm within the past 5 years except curatively treated squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer, melanoma in situ, or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy and recovered
• No concurrent growth factors or epoetin alfa
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• Endocrine therapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior topical steroids
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy for local control or palliation and recovered
• Surgery:
• Recovered from prior major surgery
• Other:
• No other concurrent investigational drugs