Tipifarnib in Treating Young Patients With Recurrent or Progressive High-Grade Glioma, Medulloblastoma, Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor, or Brain Stem Glioma

You may be eligible if

• Histologically confirmed brain tumor, including the following:
• * Anaplastic astrocytoma
• * Glioblastoma multiforme
• * Gliosarcoma
• * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
• * Medulloblastoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)
• * Diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioma\*
• Progressive or relapsed disease after prior conventional therapy
• Radiographic evidence of measurable disease
• Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100% (over 16 years of age)
• Performance status - Lansky 60-100% (16 years of age and under)
• Performance status - ECOG 0-2
• At least 8 weeks
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 (transfusion independent)
• Hemoglobin at least 8.0 g/dL (red blood cell transfusions allowed)
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGPT and SGOT less than 2.5 times ULN
• Creatinine clearance OR radioisotope glomerular filtration rate at least 70 mL/min
• Maximum creatinine based on age as follows:
• * 0.8 mg/dL (5 years and under)
• * 1.0 mg/dL (6 to 10 years)
• * 1.2 mg/dL (11 to 15 years)
• * 1.5 mg/dL (over 15 years)
• Shortening fraction at least 27% by echocardiogram
• Ejection fraction at least 50% by MUGA
• No dyspnea at rest
• No exercise intolerance
• Pulse oximetry greater than 94%\*
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Seizure disorder is allowed provided it is well-controlled on non-enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants
• No active graft-versus-host disease
• No uncontrolled infection
• No allergy to azoles (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, or fluconazole)
• Recovered from prior immunotherapy
• At least 7 days since prior antineoplastic biologic agents
• At least 1 month since prior autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT)
• At least 6 months since prior allogeneic SCT
• More than 1 week since prior growth factors
• No concurrent immunomodulating agents
• More than 2 weeks since prior myelosuppressive chemotherapy (4-6 weeks for nitrosoureas or temozolomide) and recovered
• No concurrent anticancer chemotherapy
• Concurrent dexamethasone allowed provided patient is on a stable or decreasing dose for at least 1 week prior to study entry
• Concurrent corticosteroids allowed only for treatment of increased intracranial pressure
• Recovered from prior radiotherapy
• At least 2 weeks since prior local palliative radiotherapy (small port)
• At least 3 months since prior craniospinal radiotherapy
• At least 6 weeks since other prior substantial bone marrow radiotherapy
• No concurrent palliative radiotherapy
• No prior initiation of therapy on another phase II study
• No concurrent participation in another therapeutic COG study
• No concurrent enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants
• No other concurrent anticancer or experimental drugs
• No concurrent foods or medications that interfere with CYP3A4, including any of the following:
• * Carbamazepine
• * Phenytoin
• * Phenobarbital
• * Grapefruit juice
• * Erythromycin
• * Azithromycin
• * Clarithromycin
• * Rifampin and its analogues
• * Fluconazole
• * Ketoconazole
• * Itraconazole
• * Cimetidine
• * Cannabinoids (i.e., marijuana or dronabinol)
• * Omeprazole
• * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
• * Ethosuximide
• * Glucocorticoids
• * Griseofulvin
• * Nafcillin
• * Nelfinavir
• * Norfloxacin
• * Norfluoxetine
• * Nevirapine
• * Oxcarbazepine
• * Phenylbutazone
• * Primidone
• * Progesterone (all progestins)
• * Rifabutin
• * Rofecoxib
• * Sulfadimidine
• * Sulfinpyrazone
• * Troglitazone
• * Rifapentine
• * Modafinil
• * Amiodarone
• * Anastrozole
• * Clotrimazole
• * Cyclosporine
• * Danazol
• * Delavirdine
• * Diethyldithiocarbamate
• * Diltiazem
• * Dirithromycin
• * Disulfiram
• * Entacapone (high dose)
• * Ethinyl estradiol
• * Fluoxetine
• * Fluvoxamine
• * Gestodene
• * Indinavir
• * Isoniazid
• * Metronidazole
• * Mibefradil
• * Miconazole
• * Nefazodone
• * Oxiconazole
• * Paroxetine
• * Propoxyphene
• * Roxithromycin
• * Quinidine
• * Quinine
• * Quinupristin and dalfopristin
• * Ranitidine
• * Ritonavir
• * Saquinavir
• * Sertindole
• * Sertraline
• * Troleandomycin
• * Valproic acid
• * Verapamil
• * Voriconazole
• * Zafirlukast
• * Zileuton