Gefitinib Plus Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Malignant Primary Glioma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed malignant primary glioma

  * Glioblastoma multiforme
  * Anaplastic astrocytoma
  * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
  * Anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma
  * Malignant astrocytoma not otherwise specified
* Stable or progressive disease

  * Progressive disease after interstitial brachytherapy or stereotactic radiosurgery must be confirmed by positron emission tomography or thallium scan, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, or surgical biopsy
* Prior treatment for no more than 3 prior relapses allowed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

* More than 8 weeks

Hematopoietic:

* WBC greater than 3,000/mm\^3
* Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count greater than 120,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin greater than 10 g/dL (transfusion allowed)

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* SGOT less than 1.5 times ULN

Renal:

* Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL OR
* Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min

Other:

* Not pregnant
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No active infection
* No other concurrent significant medical illness that would preclude study participation
* No significant gastrointestinal risk factors (e.g., active ulcerative colitis) within the past 6 months
* No other malignancy within the past 3 years except non-melanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* At least 1 week since prior interferon
* No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF) during the first course of study therapy

Chemotherapy:

* At least 2 weeks since prior vincristine
* At least 3 weeks since prior procarbazine
* At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas
* Prior or concurrent temozolomide allowed if there is no evidence of progression while receiving therapy

Endocrine therapy:

* At least 1 week since prior tamoxifen
* Must be on a stable dose of corticosteroids for at least 5 days

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 1 week since prior surgical resection

Other:

* Recovered from all prior therapy
* No prior gefitinib
* At least 1 week since prior non-cytotoxic agents except radiosensitizers
* At least 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic therapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior investigational agents
* At least 3 years since prior therapy for other malignancy
* Concurrent therapeutic agents allowed at stable dosage
* Concurrent enzyme-inducing anti-epileptic drugs allowed if continued during study participation