DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed glioblastoma multiforme

  • Recurrent or progressive disease after prior treatment as evidenced by gadolinium-enhanced MRI
• Recurrent or progressive tumor must be confirmed as malignant by biopsy

• Resection must be clinically indicated

  • Tumor must be amenable to radical resection
• Must be on anticonvulsant therapy with therapeutic serum levels for at least 2 weeks prior to study
• No brainstem or optic chiasm involvement of tumor
• No more than 1 cm linear dimension of contact between gadolinium-enhancing tumor and a cerebral ventricle

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3

Hepatic:

• ALT and AST no greater than 4 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• PT no greater than 2 seconds above ULN
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 2 times ULN
• Sodium 125-150 mEq/L
• Potassium 3.5-5.5 mEq/L

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No prior intolerance to corticosteroids
• No medical condition that would preclude the use of corticosteroids
• No uncontrolled seizure disorder
• No other clinically significant, uncontrolled medical illness
• No other invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No prior BG00001
• No prior treatment with a gene delivery vector or therapeutic adenovirus

Chemotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas)
• No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Must receive corticosteroids beginning at least 1 week before baseline MRI and ending after the second dose of study drug

Radiotherapy:

• At least 8 weeks since prior radiotherapy, including interstitial radiation or radiosurgery
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics

Other:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior investigational drugs or therapy
• No other investigational or approved anticancer therapy during and for 8 weeks after study