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