SU5416 in Treating Patients With Recurrent Astrocytoma or Mixed Glioma That Has Not Responded to Radiation Therapy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically proven supratentorial malignant primary glioma, including:

  * Glioblastoma multiforme
  * Anaplastic astrocytoma
  * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
  * Anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma
  * Malignant astrocytoma not otherwise specified
  * Benign or malignant meningiomas, including brain and spinal meningiomas
* Patients with meningiomas are excluded from phase II portion of study
* Must have shown unequivocal evidence of tumor recurrence or progression by CT scan or MRI
* Must have failed prior radiotherapy
* Must have prestudy contrast MRI or contrast CT scan of brain on stable steroid dose within the past 14 days

  * Must be on stable (unchanged) dose of steroids for at least 5 days before scans
* Phase II:

  * Must have completed radiotherapy at least 2 months prior to enrollment

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

* More than 8 weeks

Hematopoietic:

* WBC at least 2,300/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin at least 8 g/dL (transfusion allowed)

Hepatic:

* SGOT less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal
* Bilirubin normal
* No significant active hepatic disease

Renal:

* Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL OR
* Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
* No significant active renal disease

Cardiovascular:

* No uncompensated coronary artery disease on ECG or physical examination
* No history of myocardial infarction or severe/unstable angina within the past 6 months
* No deep venous or arterial thrombosis within the past 3 months

Pulmonary:

* No pulmonary embolism within the past 3 months

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after study
* No other serious concurrent illness
* No significant active psychiatric disease
* No diabetes mellitus with severe peripheral vascular disease
* No other malignancy within the past 3 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
* No serious active infection
* No other concurrent disease that would obscure toxic effects or dangerously alter drug metabolism

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* At least 3 weeks since prior biologic therapy (e.g., interferon) and recovered
* No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

* Phase I:

  * No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens for recurrent disease
* Phase II:

  * No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for recurrent disease
* At least 2 weeks since prior vincristine
* At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas
* At least 3 weeks since prior procarbazine
* Recovered from prior chemotherapy
* No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 3 weeks since prior endocrine therapy (e.g., tamoxifen) and recovered

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* Recovered from prior surgery
* Recent prior resection of recurrent or progressive tumor allowed

Other:

* No other concurrent investigational agents