A Phase I/II Trial of BMS-247550 for Treatment of Patients With Recurrent High-Grade Gliomas

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients must have histologically proven malignant glioma (anaplastic astrocytoma or glioblastoma multiforme) which is progressive or recurrent following radiation therapy +/- chemotherapy; patients with previous low grade glioma who progressed after radiotherapy +/- chemotherapy and are biopsied and found to have a high grade glioma are eligible * Patients must have measurable progressive or recurrent malignant glioma by MRI or CT imaging * Patients must have recovered from severe toxicity of prior therapy; an interval of at least 3 months must have elapsed since the completion of the most recent course of radiation therapy while at least 3 weeks must have elapsed since the completion of a non-nitrosourea containing chemotherapy regimen and at least 6 weeks since the completion of a nitrosourea containing chemotherapy regimen * Patients must have a Karnofsky performance status \>= 60% (i.e. the patient must be able to care for himself/herself with occasional help from others) * Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1500/mm\^3 * Platelets \>= 100,000/mm\^3 * HgB \> 9 g/dl * Creatinine =\< 1.5mg/dl * Total Bilirubin =\< 1.5mg/dl * Transaminases =\< 2.5 times above the upper limits of the institutional norm) * Patients must be able to provide written informed consent * Patients must have =\< 2 prior chemotherapy regimens * Patients with the potential for pregnancy or impregnating their partner must agree to follow acceptable birth control methods to avoid conception; the anti-proliferative activity of this experimental drug may be harmful to the developing fetus or nursing infant; female patients of child-bearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test * Patients must have no concurrent malignancy except curatively treated basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or carcinoma in situ of the cervix and breast; patients with prior malignancies must be disease-free for \>= five years * Patients must be maintained on a stable corticosteroid regimen from the time of their baseline scan until the start of treatment * Patients must have a Mini Mental State Exam score of \>= 15 Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with serious concurrent infection or medical illness, which would jeopardize the ability of the patient to receive the treatment outlined in this protocol with reasonable safety * Patients who are pregnant or breast-feeding * Patients with more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens * Patients receiving concurrent investigational agents * Patients receiving any of the following medications which are known to be moderate to significant inhibitors of CYP3A4 are not eligible: * Antibiotics: clarithromycin, erythromycin, troleandomycin * Anti-HIV agents: delavirdine, nelfinavir, amprenavir, ritonavir, indinavir, saquinavir, lopinavir * Antifungals: itraconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole (doses \> 200mg/day), voriconazole * Antidepressants: nefazodone, fluvoxamine * Calcium channel blockers: verapamil, diltiazem * Miscellaneous: amiodarone NOTE: The above list of agents was provided by the National Cancer Institute as moderate to significant inhibitors of CYP3A4 that should not be administered with BMS; there may be other agents that have similar activities on CYP3A4, however these are currently unspecified; if investigators are concerned about a particular medication's inhibitory effect on CYP3A4, they are encouraged to consult local pharmacy services for more information and to contact the principal investigator to discuss the situation further