Efaproxiral Plus Carmustine in Treating Patients With Progressive or Recurrent Malignant Glioma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed malignant glioma that is progressive or recurrent after radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy * Anaplastic astrocytoma * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma * Glioblastoma multiforme * Prior low-grade glioma allowed provided progression has occurred after radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy and then high-grade glioma is found on biopsy * Measurable disease by serial MRI or CT scan 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 * Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL * Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * SGOT and SGPT no greater than 3 times ULN Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Pulmonary: * Resting oxygen saturation on room air at least 90% by pulse oximetry * FVC, DLCO, and FEV\_1 at least 50% of normal Other: * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No other serious concurrent medical illness that would preclude study compliance * No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * At least 3 weeks since prior investigational biologics Chemotherapy: * See Disease Characteristics * No prior nitrosoureas for glioma * No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy * No prior efaproxiral Endocrine therapy: * Concurrent corticosteroids (e.g., dexamethasone) allowed Radiotherapy: * See Disease Characteristics * At least 90 days since prior radiotherapy Surgery: * Not specified Other: * At least 3 weeks since other prior investigational drugs or devices