Etoposide in Treating Young Patients With Relapsed Ependymoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed intracranial ependymoma at first, second, or third relapse

  * Anaplastic (malignant) or low-grade ependymoma (cellular, papillary, clear cell, or mixed variants)
* Unequivocal evidence of tumor recurrence or progression by MRI scan after failing conventional treatment (e.g., primary surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy) for initial or recurrent disease
* Unresectable disease OR not amenable to complete surgical resection
* Measurable enhancing or non-enhancing disease on baseline scan performed within the past 2 weeks

  * Patients who have undergone prior surgery must have residual measurable disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Lansky performance status 30-100%
* Life expectancy ≥ 8 weeks
* Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3
* Serum total bilirubin normal
* AST \< 2 times upper limit of normal
* No unrelated medical condition (e.g., renal or liver impairment) that would preclude chemotherapy treatment
* No active infection
* No known HIV positivity

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No radiotherapy within the past 6 weeks
* No chemotherapy within the past 4 weeks
* Prior IV etoposide allowed