Carmustine Plus O6-benzylguanine in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Progressive Glioma
Carmustine Plus O6-benzylguanine in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Progressive Glioma
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so
 they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells.

 PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining carmustine and
 O6-benzylguanine in treating patients who have recurrent or progressive glioma.
OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the activity of carmustine and O6-benzylguanine in patients with
 recurrent or progressive glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, or gliosarcoma
 resistant to nitrosourea. II. Determine the toxic effects of this regimen in these patients.

 OUTLINE: Patients receive O6-benzylguanine IV over 1 hour, followed 1 hour later by
 carmustine IV over 1 hour on day 1. Treatment repeats every 6 weeks in the absence of disease
 progression or unacceptable toxicity.

 PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 18-32 patients will be accrued for this study within 12-18
 months.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed recurrent or progressive glioblastoma
 multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, or gliosarcoma Resistant to nitrosourea (defined as
 progressive or recurrent disease within 8 weeks of receiving nitrosourea) Measurable
 residual disease by MRI or CT scan

 PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Karnofsky 60-100% Life
 expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3
 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hemoglobin greater than 10 g/dL Hepatic: Bilirubin
 normal SGOT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal Renal: Creatinine no greater
 than 1.5 mg/dL BUN no greater than 25 mg/dL Pulmonary: DLCO greater than 80% predicted
 Other: Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and
 for 2 months after study

 PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: See Disease
 Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy At least 6 weeks since prior
 nitrosourea, procarbazine, or mitomycin and recovered No prior nitrosourea greater than
 1,200 mg/m2 Endocrine therapy: Concurrent stable dose corticosteroids allowed if on for at
 least two weeks prior to study Radiotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
 Surgery: Not specified