RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Paclitaxel may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy.

PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combining paclitaxel with radiation therapy in treating children who have newly diagnosed brain stem glioma.

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine the maximum tolerated dose of paclitaxel when combined with involved-field radiotherapy in children with newly diagnosed, diffuse, intrinsic brain stem glioma.
• Determine the toxicity of this regimen in these patients.
• Assess the antitumor activity of this regimen in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter, dose-escalation study of paclitaxel.

Patients receive induction therapy comprising paclitaxel IV over 1 hour once weekly and involved-field radiotherapy (after paclitaxel infusion) once daily, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks.

Beginning 6 weeks after completion of induction therapy, patients may receive maintenance therapy comprising paclitaxel IV over 1 hour once every 3 weeks for a total of 8 courses. Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of paclitaxel until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity.

Patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 1 year, and then annually thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A minimum of 12 patients will be accrued for this study within 12-18 months.

• Drug: paclitaxel
• Radiation: radiation therapy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Newly diagnosed, diffuse, intrinsic brain stem glioma by clinical examination and MRI

  • Histologic verification not required
  • Intrinsic (more than 50% intra-axial) involvement of the pons, pons and medulla, pons and midbrain, or entire brain stem allowed
  • Contiguous involvement of the thalamus or upper cervical cord allowed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 3 to 21 at diagnosis

Performance status:

• Not specified

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,000/mm3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3
• Hemoglobin greater than 10.0 g/dL

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times normal
• SGOT or SGPT less than 2.5 times normal

Renal:

• Creatinine less than 1.5 times normal

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use a highly effective method of contraception for female patients or barrier contraception for male patients

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Concurrent corticosteroid therapy for increased intracranial pressure allowed

Radiotherapy:

• Not specified

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• No concurrent cytochrome P450-inducing anticonvulsants (e.g., phenytoin or carbamazepine) during paclitaxel therapy
• Other concurrent anticonvulsants (e.g., valproic acid) for pre-existing seizure disorder allowed