Imatinib Mesylate and Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Malignant Glioma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed malignant glioma

  * Any of the following subtypes:

    * Glioblastoma multiforme
    * Gliosarcoma
    * Anaplastic astrocytoma
    * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
    * Anaplastic oligoastrocytoma
  * Previous histologic diagnosis of a lower grade of glioma allowed if there is histologic evidence of progression to a diagnosis of malignant glioma
  * Multifocal disease allowed
* Must have undergone prior conventional external-beam radiation therapy
* Stable disease, disease recurrence, or relapsed disease

  * Must not have received any systemic therapy for this recurrence or relapse
  * No prior progressive disease
* No central/systemic fluid collections (pericardial effusion, pulmonary effusion, ascites) ≥ grade 2
* No evidence of intratumor hemorrhage on pretreatment diagnostic imaging, except for stable post-operative grade 1 hemorrhage

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Karnofsky performance status 70-100%
* Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mm³
* Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL
* Platelet count \> 100,000/mm³
* AST and ALT \< 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Bilirubin \< 1.5 times ULN
* Creatinine \< 1.5 times ULN
* No chronic renal disease
* No active uncontrolled infection
* No uncontrolled diabetes
* No excessive risk of bleeding, as defined by occurrence of any of the following:

  * Stroke within the past 6 months
  * History of CNS or intraocular bleed
  * Septic endocarditis
* No history of labile hypertension
* No congestive heart failure
* No poorly controlled hypertension
* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
* No history of poor compliance with antihypertensive regimen
* No other severe and/or uncontrolled medical disease that would preclude study participation
* No peripheral edema ≥ grade 2
* No gastrointestinal bleeding
* No gross hematuria
* No other active systemic bleeding
* Patients must not have experienced toxicity ≥ grade 3 with prior treatment with either temozolomide or imatinib mesylate
* No other primary malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix or other cancer not currently clinically significant nor requiring active interventions

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from all prior therapy
* Prior surgical resection(s) allowed
* At least 2 weeks since prior surgery
* At least 2 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas)
* At least 2 weeks since prior external-beam radiotherapy
* At least 2 weeks since prior investigational drugs
* More than 1 week since prior biologic, immunotherapeutic, or cytostatic agents
* No concurrent warfarin