Carmustine Followed By Surgery in Treating Patients With Recurrent Supratentorial Malignant Glioma or Metastatic Brain Neoplasm

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed recurrent supratentorial malignant glioma with clear evidence of progression by MRI

  • Glioblastoma multiforme
  • Anaplastic ependymoma
  • Anaplastic astrocytoma
  • Anaplastic oligodendroglioma OR
• Metastatic tumor to the brain other than melanoma
• Planned resection of tumor (must be first surgery for recurrent disease)
• Tumor volume of each tumor component or residual tumor must be at least 4 cm3 and no greater than 33.4 cm3

• Tumor shape and surrounding structure(s) unlikely to cause an irregular distribution of the injected study drug

  • Tumor is spherical, spheroid, or ovoid
  • No tumors shaped into 3 or more components (e.g., multicentric or multilobulated)
  • No tumors extending into the ventricular system
  • Tumor has an intact stroma (i.e., tumor mass not partially incised or punctured)
  • Central necrosis and/or central cystic areas allowed if an enhancing rim with a thickness of more than 5 mm is present

• No tumors in the following locations of the brain:

  • Brainstem (pons or medulla)
  • Midbrain (mesencephalon)
  • Primary sensorimotor cortex in the dominant hemisphere
  • Within 1.5 cm of the optic chiasm, either optic nerve, or any other cranial nerve

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 to 75

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• No evidence of bleeding diathesis

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2.5 times normal

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 40 mL/min OR
• BUN no greater than 30 mg/dL

Other:

• No active uncontrolled infection
• Afebrile (37.5 degrees C) unless fever due to tumor
• No other unstable or severe medical condition
• No complicating medical or psychiatric problem that would preclude study
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior systemic chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas, mitomycin, or Gliadel wafers) and recovered
• No anti-tumor chemotherapy within 12 weeks after study drug unless tumor volume increases by more than 25% by MRI

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• No prior intracranial brachytherapy
• No anti-tumor radiotherapy within 12 weeks after study drug unless tumor volume increases by more than 25% by MRI

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Prior surgery allowed
• No anti-tumor surgery within 12 weeks after study drug

Other:

• No concurrent anticoagulants
• No other concurrent investigational agents