Tipifarnib in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Progressive Malignant Glioma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed intracranial primary malignant glioma

  * Glioblastoma multiforme
  * Anaplastic astrocytoma\*
  * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma\*
  * Anaplastic mixed oligodendroglioma\*
  * Malignant astrocytoma (not otherwise specified)\* NOTE: \*Closed to accrual effective 5/28/2002
* Progressive or recurrent disease confirmed by MRI or CT scan within the past 14 days

  * Stable steroid dose for at least 5-7 days
  * Confirmation of true progressive disease by PET scan, thallium scan, MR spectroscopy, or surgery if prior therapy included interstitial brachytherapy or stereotactic radiosurgery
* Failed prior radiotherapy
* Phase I (phase I completed effective 10/2/2001): No more than 2 prior chemotherapy or cytotoxic regimens, including 1 prior adjuvant therapy and 1 prior regimen for progressive or recurrent disease, or 2 prior regimens for progressive disease
* Phase II (phase II open only to patients requiring resection and who provide surgical tissue samples \[effective 3/13/2003\]): No more than 2 prior chemotherapy or cytotoxic regimens for relapsed disease following initial therapy (radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy)

  * Prior surgical resection for relapsed disease with no anticancer therapy for up to 12 weeks followed by another surgical resection is considered 1 relapse
  * Patients who received prior therapy for a low-grade glioma with a surgical diagnosis of a high-grade glioma are considered to be in first relapse

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

* More than 8 weeks

Hematopoietic:

* WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
* Absolute neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL (transfusion allowed)

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* SGOT no greater than 2.5 times ULN

Renal:

* Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

* No uncontrolled high blood pressure
* No unstable angina
* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
* No serious uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No severe nonmalignant systemic diseases or active infections
* No other severe concurrent disease that would preclude study therapy
* No allergy to azoles (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, or voriconazole)
* HIV negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* At least 1 week since prior interferon
* No concurrent anticancer immunotherapy
* No concurrent routine prophylactic filgrastim (G-CSF) during first course of study
* No concurrent sargramostim (GM-CSF)

Chemotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas, suramin, or mitomycin)
* At least 3 weeks since prior procarbazine
* At least 2 weeks since prior vincristine
* No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 1 week since prior tamoxifen
* Concurrent corticosteroids allowed
* No concurrent anticancer hormonal therapy

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* No concurrent anticancer radiotherapy

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 3 weeks since prior resection and recovered
* Prior recent resection of recurrent or progressive tumor allowed

Other:

* Recovered from all prior therapy (excluding neurotoxicity or alopecia)
* Prior radiosensitizers allowed
* Concurrent H2 blockers and antacids allowed provided taken at least 2 hours before and after tipifarnib
* No concurrent proton pump inhibitors (e.g., omeprazole or lansoprazole)
* No other concurrent medication that would preclude study therapy (e.g., immunosuppressive agents)
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy
* No other concurrent investigational drugs
* No concurrent participation in any other clinical study
* No other concurrent medications except analgesics, chronic treatments for concurrent medical conditions, or agents for life-threatening medical problems