Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Brain Metastases

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Metastatic lesions to the brain

  * Must not require immediate radiotherapy
  * If received prior radiotherapy, must have progressive disease
* Evaluable disease by CT scan or MRI
* Neurologically stable

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

* More 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 or SGPT less than 2.5 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times ULN

Renal:

* Blood urea nitrogen less than 1.5 times ULN
* Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No other concurrent nonmalignant systemic disease
* No acute infection requiring treatment with IV antibiotics
* HIV negative
* No frequent vomiting or medical condition that would preclude oral medication administration (e.g., partial bowel obstruction, inability to swallow)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* No concurrent hematopoietic growth factors, including epoetin alfa
* No other concurrent biologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy, unless evidence of disease progression
* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* Concurrent corticosteroids allowed if nonincreasing dose for at least 1 week prior to study

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to the brain, unless evidence of disease progression
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

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

Other:

* No other concurrent investigational drugs