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DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven refractory or recurrent supratentorial glioblastoma multiforme Bidimensionally measurable, enhancing residual disease by T1-weighted gadolinium-enhanced MRI required within 15 days prior to treatment Stable dose of corticosteroids required for at least 7 days prior to scan.PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Karnofsky 60-100% Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 75,000/mm3 Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL without blood transfusions for 15 days prior to treatment Hepatic: AST/SGOT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Bilirubin less than 1.5 times ULN Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance at least 40 mL/min Other: Not allergic to etoposide Effective contraception required of fertile patients Negative serum pregnancy test required of fertile women No other acute or chronic medical or psychiatric condition.PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No prior leflunomide (SU101) therapy No more than one prior single-agent or combination systemic chemotherapy regimen for initial disease Radiosensitizer(s) concurrent with radiotherapy allowed in addition to chemotherapy for primary disease At least 6 weeks since nitrosourea or mitomycin At least 2 weeks since vincristine No prior single-agent procarbazine At least 4 weeks since other chemotherapy No concurrent chemotherapy agents Endocrine therapy: No concurrent hormone therapy (except medroxyprogesterone acetate for appetite stimulation) Less than 4 weeks of prior hormonal therapy (tamoxifen or retinoids) if failed one prior chemotherapy regimen Radiotherapy: Prior conventional radiotherapy for initial disease required No more than one prior course of radiotherapy At least 8 weeks since radiotherapy No prior interstitial radiotherapy No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: Maximally feasible resection for initial disease required No more than two resections permitted At least 1 week since surgery and/or biopsy for disease No prior interstitial radiotherapy or implanted BCNU-wafers No concurrent surgery (including resection, stereotactic surgery or interstitial implants) Other: No concurrent investigational agent At least 4 weeks since prior investigational agent At least 1 week since cholestyramine or monoamine oxidase inhibitors

OBJECTIVES:

• I. Compare the median survival of patients with glioblastoma multiforme in first relapse treated with intravenous leflunomide (SU101) administered as a loading dose with weekly maintenance therapy versus oral, single-agent procarbazine administered daily for 28 days every 56 days.

• II. Compare the median time to progression for these regimens in these patients.

• III. Assess the objective response of these patients.

• IV. Assess the safety of SU101 given on this schedule.

• V. Describe the health-related quality of life of these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, open label, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to performance status (Karnofsky 60-80% vs.#46;90-100%), age (less than 50 vs.#46;50 and over), and time from initial diagnosis to recurrence (6 months or greater vs.#46;less than 6 months). Patients are randomized to one of two treatment arms. Arm I: Patients receive leflunomide (SU101) IV over 6 hours daily on days 1-4, again 4-8 days later, and weekly thereafter for a total of 4 loading dose infusions and six maintenance infusions in course 1. Patients receive 7 weekly maintenance infusions of SU101 in courses thereafter. Treatment repeats every 8 weeks. Arm II: Patients receive procarbazine orally once or twice daily for 4 weeks. Treatment is repeated every 8 weeks. All patients complete a health-related quality-of-life questionnaire every 8 weeks and at study withdrawal. Treatment courses continue up to a maximum of 1 year in the absence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression. Patients are followed every 2 months, beginning 30 days after study completion. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A maximum of 380 patients will be accrued for this study.