Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed glioblastoma multiforme with areas of necrosis as diagnosed
by surgical biopsy or subtotal excision

- Supratentorial tumor

- Gross measurable residual disease

- No well-differentiated or anaplastic astrocytoma, multifocal glioma, or recurrent
glioblastoma multiforme

- Therapy must begin within 5 weeks after surgery but within 1 week after registration

- CT or MRI scan preoperatively and MRI postoperatively prior to initiation of
radiotherapy

- If undergoing a stereotactic-guided needle biopsy, not required to repeat MRI
after procedure if the prebiopsy MRI is suitable for treatment planning

- Prior complete surgical resection of tumor allowed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 and over

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

- Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin no greater than 2 mg/dL

- SGPT or SGOT no greater than 2 times normal

Renal:

- BUN no greater than 30 mg/dL

- Creatinine no greater than 1.8 mg/dL

Pulmonary:

- Normal chest x-ray OR

- DLCO at least 60% predicted

Other:

- Not pregnant

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or
bladder, ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast, or nonmelanomatous skin cancer

- Neurologic functional status 0-3

- No major medical illness or psychiatric impairments that would preclude study
participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- No prior systemic chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- No prior radiotherapy to head or neck

Surgery:

- See Disease Characteristics