Irinotecan Plus Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Recurrent Primary Malignant Glioma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed recurrent primary malignant glioma

  * Anaplastic astrocytoma
  * Glioblastoma multiforme
  * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
  * Gliosarcoma
  * Anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma
* Measurable disease by MRI or CT
* No immediate radiotherapy required
* Neurologically stable for at least 2 weeks prior to study

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

* Greater than 12 weeks

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* SGOT and SGPT less than 2.5 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times ULN

Renal:

* Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* HIV negative
* No other nonmalignant systemic disease
* No acute infection treated with IV antibiotics
* No frequent vomiting or other condition that would preclude oral medication administration (e.g., partial bowel obstruction)
* No other prior malignancies except surgically cured carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal or squamous cell skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* No more than 1 prior biologic therapy regimen

Chemotherapy:

* No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen
* At least 6 weeks since prior chemotherapy, unless evidence of disease progression
* No prior failure of irinotecan or temozolomide

Endocrine therapy:

* Concurrent corticosteroids allowed

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 6 weeks since prior radiotherapy, unless evidence of disease progression

Surgery:

* At least 3 weeks since prior surgery, unless evidence of disease progression, and recovered

Other:

* No concurrent immunosuppressive agents