Talampanel in Treating Patients With Recurrent High-Grade Glioma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed high-grade glioma, including any of the following:

  * Glioblastoma multiforme
  * Anaplastic astrocytoma
  * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
  * Anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma
  * Malignant astrocytoma not otherwise specified

    * Patients with clinical and radiographic diagnosis of brain stem glioma are also eligible
* Evidence of tumor progression by MRI or CT scan

  * Scan must be performed while patient is on a stable steroid dose for at least 5 days
* Must have failed prior radiotherapy
* Residual disease after prior resection of recurrent or progressive tumor is allowed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy

* More than 8 weeks

Hematopoietic

* Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 (transfusion independent)
* Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL (transfusion allowed)

Hepatic

* Bilirubin less than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* SGOT less than 2 times ULN
* 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

Cardiac

* No significant active cardiac disease

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use 2 effective methods of contraception during and for 2 months after study participation
* Able to swallow whole capsules
* No active infection requiring IV antibiotics
* No significant active psychiatric disease that would preclude use of the study drug
* No other significant uncontrolled medical illness that would preclude study participation
* No other active life-threatening malignancy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* At least 1 week since prior interferon or thalidomide
* No concurrent anticancer immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

* At least 2 weeks since prior vincristine
* At least 3 weeks since prior procarbazine
* At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas
* No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 1 week since prior tamoxifen
* Concurrent steroids for the control of increased intracranial pressure allowed

Radiotherapy

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

Surgery

* See Disease Characteristics
* Prior recent resection of recurrent or progressive disease allowed

Other

* Recovered from all prior therapy
* At least 1 week since prior noncytotoxic agents (e.g., isotretinoin), except for radiosensitizers
* At least 4 weeks since prior investigational agents
* At least 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic therapy
* No other concurrent investigational agents