Topotecan in Treating Patients With Recurrent Brain Tumors
Topotecan in Treating Patients With Recurrent Brain Tumors
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so
 they stop growing or die.

 PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of topotecan in treating patients with
 recurrent brain tumor.
OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the efficacy of topotecan in patients with recurrent anaplastic
 oligodendroglioma or anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma. II. Determine the qualitative and
 quantitative toxicity of topotecan in this patient population on this schedule.

 OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients receive intravenous topotecan over 30 minutes
 daily for 5 days every 3 weeks. Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or
 unacceptable toxicity. Patients will be followed every 3 months until death.

 PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Up to 30 evaluable patients will be accrued within 2-3 years.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven recurrent anaplastic oligodendroglioma or
 anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma following primary surgery and radiation therapy Tumors
 for anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma must contain at least 25% oligodendroglial elements
 Tumors must be clinically aggressive for patients with only 1 anaplastic feature Prior low
 grade oligodendrogliomas or oligoastrocytomas undergoing repeat biopsy following clinical
 or radiological progression are eligible Bidimensionally measurable and progressive lesions
 by CT or MRI

 PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-3 Life expectancy: Not
 specified Hematopoietic: Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at
 least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Creatinine normal Other: Not pregnant or
 nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception No prior malignancies except
 curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or nonmelanoma skin cancer No other
 serious illness or medical condition No active uncontrolled infection No history of
 neurologic or psychiatric disorder

 PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: At least 6 weeks
 since chemotherapy No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen No prior camptothecin
 derivatives Endocrine therapy: At least 2 weeks on stable steroid therapy, if necessary
 Radiotherapy: At least 2 months since prior radiotherapy No prior radiation therapy for
 recurrent disease Surgery: At least 6 weeks since prior surgery (except biopsy only) Prior
 surgery for recurrent disease allowed (including stereotactic biopsy or partial resection)
 Other: No concurrent experimental drugs or anticancer therapy