DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or radiographically proven primary, recurrent, or refractory malignant gliomas (glioblastoma, anaplastic astrocytoma, and mixed anaplastic glioma)

  • Must be a candidate for neurosurgical biopsy or tumor debulking

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance Status:

• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life Expectancy:

• Greater than 4 months

Hematopoietic:

• Granulocytes greater than 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count greater than 50,000/mm^3
• PT and PTT within normal limits

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

• Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL
• Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

• No congestive heart failure
• No coronary artery disease
• No serious cardiac arrhythmias
• No prior myocardial infarction

Pulmonary:

• No major pulmonary problems

Other:

• No history of neurologic disease (except related to brain tumor)
• No psychosis
• No impaired cognitive function
• No significant concurrent medical illness
• No active infection requiring antibiotic therapy
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Adequate peripheral veins to permit leukapheresis, or placement of indwelling central vascular access device
• No hepatitis B or C
• HIV negative
• No prior autoimmune disease
• Allergy to gentamicin is allowed

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• At least 6 weeks since prior immunotherapy and recovered
• No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for carmustine) and recovered
• No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Reduction or elimination of corticosteroids
• Not greater than 0.15 mg/kg/day dexamethasone equivalent

Radiotherapy:

• At least 6 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

• Prior surgery is allowed

Other:

• Concurrent therapy with acetaminophen, anticonvulsant agents, and headache pain medications is allowed