Rituximab, Temozolomide, and Methylprednisolone in Treating Patients With Recurrent Primary CNS Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed primary CNS non-Hodgkin's lymphoma by brain biopsy, positive cerebrospinal fluid cytology, or vitrectomy

  • Recurrent disease

• Measurable disease, define as bi-dimensionally measurable lesions with clearly defined margins by brain MRI or CT scan

  • Radiographical evidence of tumor progression by MRI or CT scan
  • Steroid therapy must be stable for 5 days prior to scan

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy

• More than 8 weeks

Hematopoietic

• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL (transfusion allowed)

Hepatic

• SGOT < 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Bilirubin < 2 times ULN
• No active or latent hepatitis B infection

Renal

• Creatinine < 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other malignancy within the past 3 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No uncontrolled significant medical illness that would preclude study treatment
• No active infection
• No active HIV infection
• No concurrent disease that would dangerously alter drug metabolism or obscure toxicity

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• At least 7 days since prior interferon or thalidomide
• No concurrent prophylactic filgrastim (G-CSF)
• No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

• No prior temozolomide
• At least 14 days since prior methotrexate
• At least 21 days since prior procarbazine
• At least 42 days since prior nitrosoureas
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 7 days since prior tamoxifen
• No concurrent hormonal therapy

Radiotherapy

• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• Recovered from all prior therapy
• At least 28 days since prior investigational agents
• At least 28 days since other prior cytotoxic therapy
• At least 7 days since other prior non-cytotoxic agents (e.g., tretinoin) (radiosenitizers allowed)
• No other concurrent investigational drugs