Thalidomide and Temozolomide in Relapsed or Progressive CNS Disease or Neuroblastoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed\* diagnosis of 1 of the following: * Poor prognosis brain tumor * Relapsed or progressive disease * No curative therapy exists * Neuroblastoma * Recurrent disease NOTE: \*Histologic confirmation not required for brain stem glioma; patients with brain stem glioma must have clinical and radiographic evidence of disease * Patients with brain stem glioma must have symptoms lasting \< 3 months comprising cranial nerve deficits (often VI or VII) and/or ataxia and/or long tract signs PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 21 and under Performance status * Karnofsky 50-100% OR * Lansky 50-100% Life expectancy * More than 2 months Hematopoietic * Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL * Platelet count \> 75,000/mm\^3 * WBC \> 2,000/mm\^3 * Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2 times normal (SGOT ≤ 4 times normal for patients taking Zantac) * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2 times normal * No active hepatic disease ≥ grade 3 Renal * Creatinine \< 1.5 mg/dL OR * Creatinine clearance ≥ 70 mL/min * No active renal disease ≥ grade 3 Cardiovascular * No active cardiac disease ≥ grade 3 Pulmonary * No active pulmonary disease ≥ grade 3 Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 weeks after study participation * Willing and able to participate in the System for Thalidomide Education and Prescription Safety (S.T.E.P.S.\^®) program * No active psychiatric disease ≥ grade 3 PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * Prior biologic therapy allowed * No prior thalidomide Chemotherapy * Prior chemotherapy allowed * No prior temozolomide Endocrine therapy * Concurrent steroids allowed Radiotherapy * Prior radiotherapy allowed Surgery * Prior surgery allowed Other * Concurrent antiseizure medications allowed * No other concurrent investigational agents