Epothilone ZK-219477 in Treating Patients With Recurrent Glioblastoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed glioblastoma

  * Presence of oligodendroglial elements allowed provided they make up \< 25% of tumor
* Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 bidimensionally measurable target lesion with a largest diameter of ≥ 2 cm by MRI within the past 2 weeks
* Recurrent disease

  * Documented by MRI after failing prior therapy (usually standard radiotherapy with concurrent and maintenance temozolomide)
  * Subsequent histologic confirmation of recurrence required for patients who received prior high-dose radiotherapy (\> 65 Gy), stereotactic radiosurgery, or internal radiotherapy
* Multifocal disease that is not amenable to radiotherapy allowed provided the patient received no more than 1 line of prior chemotherapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* WHO performance status 0-2
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Bilirubin \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST and ALT \< 2.5 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase \< 2.5 times ULN
* Creatinine \< 1.5 times ULN
* Clinically normal cardiac function
* No ischemic heart disease within the past 12 months

  * Stable ischemic heart disease (e.g., treated angina that is stable under appropriate therapy) allowed
* No New York Heart Association class III or IV cardiac insufficiency
* No unstable angina
* No arrhythmia
* No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical factors that would preclude study compliance
* No other malignancy except cone-biopsied carcinoma of the cervix or adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile female patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after completion of study treatment
* Fertile male patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after completion of study treatment

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas)
* More than 3 months since prior radiotherapy to the brain
* More than 3 months since prior surgery for recurrent primary brain tumor unless 1 of the following criteria are met:

  * Measurable residual disease documented by immediate (within 72 hours) postoperative imaging
  * Evidence of a progressive and measurable target lesion found at postoperative follow-up
  * Presence of a second measurable target lesion outside the surgical area
* Prior adjuvant temozolomide as first-line therapy allowed
* No prior chemotherapy for recurrent glioblastoma

  * One prior chemotherapy regimen given as adjuvant therapy allowed
* Concurrent corticosteroids allowed provided dose is stable or decreasing for ≥ 1 week
* No concurrent phenytoin, carbamazepine, or phenobarbital
* No concurrent Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
* No concurrent enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (EIAEDs)

  * Patients on EIAEDs should have been switched to non-EIAEDs with a wash-out period of ≥ 1 month
* No other concurrent anticancer agents (except alternative or homeopathic medicine)
* No other concurrent investigational treatment