Radiation Therapy in Treating Young Patients With Gliomas

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed\* low-grade glioma, including any of the following:
• * Juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA) or pleomorphic JPA
• * Diffuse astrocytoma, including any of the following subtypes:
• * Fibrillary astrocytoma
• * Gemistocytic astrocytoma
• * Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma
• * Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma
• * Low-grade oligoastrocytoma
• * Low-grade oligodendroglioma
• * Low-grade glioma not otherwise specified NOTE: \*Patients with chiasmatic lesions who have contiguous extension of tumor into other regions of the visual pathway by CT scan or MRI are eligible without histopathologic confirmation; repeat biopsy required for patients with recurrent tumors that enhance but whose initial tumor did not
• Measurable disease by radiography
• Meets any of the following criteria:
• * Progressive nonresectable disease
• * Any location in the brain
• * Patients with a less than gross total resection are eligible provided they are symptomatic from their tumor OR the risk from neurologic impairment with progression is high enough to warrant immediate treatment
• * Has undergone biopsy only
• Must have received ≥ 1 course of prior chemotherapy (for patients \< 10 years of age)
• * Prior chemotherapy optional (for patients ≥ 10 years of age)
• No type-1 neurofibromatosis
• No evidence of leptomeningeal dissemination
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 3 to 20
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 50-100% (for patients \> 16 years of age) OR
• Lansky 50-100% (for patients ≤ 16 years of age)
• Life expectancy
• At least 1 year
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 (transfusion independent)
• Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL (transfusions allowed)
• Hepatic
• Not specified
• Renal
• Not specified
• Other
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Not in status epilepticus, coma, or requiring assisted ventilation prior to study entry
• Patients with a seizure disorder are eligible provided they are on anticonvulsants AND disease is well controlled
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior chemotherapy
• No concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy
• Concurrent dexamethasone allowed provided patient has been on a stable dose for ≥ 2 weeks prior to study entry
• Concurrent dexamethasone allowed for symptoms of increased intracranial pressure
• Radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy
• Surgery
• See Disease Characteristics
• Other
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy