DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed supratentorial malignant primary gliomas including the following:

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

• Recurrent disease

  • Failed prior radiotherapy
  • Prior therapy for no more than 2 relapses

• Measurable or evaluable disease with evidence of tumor recurrence or progression by MRI or CT scan

  • Scan performed within 14 days prior to study and on a stable steroid dose for at least 5-7 days
  • Patients who have undergone prior resection of recurrent or progressive tumor require evaluable disease only
• Progressive disease must be confirmed (vs radiation necrosis) by positron emission tomography, thallium scan, MR spectroscopy, or surgery if received prior interstitial brachytherapy or stereotactic radiosurgery

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy

• More than 8 weeks

Hematopoietic

• WBC at least 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL

Hepatic

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

Renal

• Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception for 1 month prior, during, and for 4 months after treatment with thalidomide
• No disease that would obscure toxicity or dangerously alter drug metabolism
• No peripheral neuropathy greater than grade 1
• No other cancer within the past 3 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No serious active infection
• No other serious concurrent medical illness
• No concurrent significant illness that would preclude study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No prior PEG-interferon alfa-2B
• No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

• No prior thalidomide

• At least 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic therapy

  • At least 2 weeks since prior vincristine
  • At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas
  • At least 3 weeks since prior procarbazine
• Prior radiosensitizer allowed
• No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• At least 1 week since prior tamoxifen

Radiotherapy

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

Surgery

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior surgery

Other

• Recovered from prior therapy
• At least 1 week since prior non-cytotoxic agent except radiosensitizer
• At least 1 week since prior isotretinoin
• At least 2 weeks since prior investigational agents