Irinotecan Plus Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Recurrent Primary Malignant Glioma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed recurrent primary malignant glioma
• * Anaplastic astrocytoma
• * Glioblastoma multiforme
• * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
• * Gliosarcoma
• * Anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma
• Measurable disease by MRI or CT
• No immediate radiotherapy required
• Neurologically stable for at least 2 weeks prior to study
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy:
• Greater 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:
• Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• HIV negative
• No other nonmalignant systemic disease
• No acute infection treated with IV antibiotics
• No frequent vomiting or other condition that would preclude oral medication administration (e.g., partial bowel obstruction)
• No other prior malignancies except surgically cured carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal or squamous cell skin cancer
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No more than 1 prior biologic therapy regimen
• Chemotherapy:
• No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen
• At least 6 weeks since prior chemotherapy, unless evidence of disease progression
• No prior failure of irinotecan or temozolomide
• Endocrine therapy:
• Concurrent corticosteroids allowed
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 6 weeks since prior radiotherapy, unless evidence of disease progression
• Surgery:
• At least 3 weeks since prior surgery, unless evidence of disease progression, and recovered
• Other:
• No concurrent immunosuppressive agents