Chemotherapy Followed by Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation in Treating Children With Newly Diagnosed Brain Tumor

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed malignant, newly diagnosed brain tumor

Regimen A:

* Posterior fossa medulloblastoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET):

  * All stages, under 3 years at diagnosis OR
  * High stage (local residual tumor postoperatively and/or neuraxis or extraneural dissemination), 3-10 years at diagnosis
* Supratentorial PNET, pineoblastoma, cerebral neuroblastoma, ependymoblastoma, medulloepithelioma, medullomyoblastoma:

  * All stages, under 10 years at diagnosis
* Brainstem PNET:

  * All stages, irrespective of extent of resection, under 10 years at diagnosis
* Ependymoma or anaplastic ependymoma:

  * All stages, any location (except primary spinal cord ependymoma), under 3 years at diagnosis OR
  * Local residual tumor postoperatively and/or neuraxis dissemination, any location, 3-10 years at diagnosis
* Supratentorial ependymoma:

  * All stages, irrespective of extent of resection, under 10 years at diagnosis, excluding gross totally resected (confirmed by postoperative MRI) low grade ependymoma not invading the ventricular system
* Metastatic retinoblastoma:

  * Previously untreated (except for cryosurgery or laser surgery), under 10 years at presentation of metastatic disease
* Primary atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors of the CNS:

  * Under 10 years at diagnosis
* Choroid plexus carcinoma:

  * Incompletely resected, all sites, under 10 years at diagnosis

Regimen C:

* Anaplastic astrocytoma, glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic oligodendroglioma, anaplastic ganglioglioma, other anaplastic mixed gliomas:

  * Under 10 years at diagnosis
* Diffuse intrinsic pontine tumors:

  * Unbiopsied, under 10 years at diagnosis

The following diagnoses are not eligible:

* Myxopapillary ependymoma of the spinal cord, low grade brainstem astrocytoma, primary CNS lymphoma or solid leukemic lesion (i.e., chloroma, granulocytic sarcoma), or primary CNS germ cell tumor

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* Under 10 at diagnosis

Performance status:

* Not specified

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Not specified

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL
* SGPT less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

* Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Not specified

Chemotherapy:

* No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* Prior corticosteroids allowed
* No concurrent corticosteroids for the sole purpose of antiemesis

Radiotherapy:

* No prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from prior surgery