Combination Chemotherapy Following Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Malignant Glioma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed malignant glioma
• * Glioblastoma
• * Gliosarcoma
• * High-grade glioma
• * Anaplastic astrocytoma
• * Anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma
• * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
• * Anaplastic ependymoma
• Must have completed radiotherapy
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy:
• More than 3 months
• 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/SGPT less than 3 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times ULN
• Renal:
• BUN less than 1.5 times ULN
• Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN
• Pulmonary:
• Pulmonary function test with diffusion greater than 50 OR
• Clearance by the pulmonary service
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• HIV negative
• No AIDS-related illness
• No nonmalignant systemic disease that would preclude study
• No acute infection requiring IV antibiotics
• No psychiatric condition that would preclude study compliance
• No frequent vomiting or medical condition that would interfere with oral medication intake (e.g., partial bowel obstruction)
• No other prior or concurrent malignancy except surgically cured carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No prior immunotherapy
• No prior biologic therapy
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• Not specified