A Pilot Feasibility Study of Oral 5-Fluorocytosine and Genetically-Modified Neural Stem Cells Expressing E.Coli Cytosine Deaminase for Treatment of Recurrent High Grade Gliomas

Inclusion Criteria: * Patient has had a prior, histologically-confirmed, diagnosis of a grade III or grade IV glioma (including glioblastoma, anaplastic astrocytoma, gliosarcoma, anaplastic oligodendroglioma, or anaplastic oligoastrocytoma), or has a prior, histologically-confirmed, diagnosis of a grade II glioma and now has radiographic findings consistent with a high-grade glioma (grade III or IV) * Imaging studies show evidence of recurrent supratentorial tumor(s) * The patient must be in need of a craniotomy for tumor resection or a stereotactic brain biopsy for the purpose of diagnosis or differentiating between tumor progression versus treatment-induced effects following radiation therapy +/- chemotherapy * Based on the neurosurgeon's judgment, there is no anticipated physical connection between the post-resection tumor cavity and the cerebral ventricles * Patient's high-grade glioma has recurred or progressed after chemoradiation * Patient has a Karnofsky Performance Status of \>= 70% * Patient has a life expectancy of \>=3 months * If patient requires corticosteroids for the control of cerebral edema, s/he must be on a stable dose for at least 1 week prior to enrollment * Patient has recovered from toxicity of prior therapies; an interval of at least 12 weeks must have elapsed since the completion of radiation therapy; at least 6 weeks since the completion of nitrosourea-containing chemotherapy regimen; and at least 4 weeks since the completion of a non-nitrosourea-containing cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen; if a patient's most recent treatment was with a targeted agent only; and s/he has recovered from any toxicity of this targeted agent, then a waiting period of only 2 weeks is needed from the last dose and the start of study treatment, with the exception of bevacizumab where a wash out period of at least 4 weeks is required before starting study treatment * Absolute neutrophil count of \>= 1,500 cells/mm\^3 and platelet count \>= 100,000 cells/mm\^3 * Total bilirubin =\< 2.0 mg/dl * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\]) =\< 4 times the institutional upper limit of normal * Serum creatinine =\< the institutional upper limit of normal * Patients must be able to swallow pills * Patients must be able to understand and be willing to sign a written informed consent document * Female patients of child-bearing potential and sexually active male patients must agree to use an effective method of contraception while participating in this study * Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy =\< 2 weeks prior to registration INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR PROCEEDING TO TREATMENT WITH 5-FC: * Patients must be tolerating oral intake * Patients' daily total dose of dexamethasone must be \< 12 mg by Day 4 Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who are currently receiving chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or are enrolled in another treatment clinical trial * Patients who have anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies specific for HLA antigens expressed by the HB1.F3.CD NSCs * Patients who are unable to undergo an MRI * Patients with chronic or active viral infections of the central nervous system (CNS) * Patients who are allergic to 5-FC or 5-FU * Patients who have a serious medical or psychiatric illness that could, in the investigator's opinion, potentially interfere with the completion of treatment according to this protocol * Female patients who are pregnant or breast-feeding * Patients who have not recovered from the toxicities of prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy * Patients who require anti-seizure medication but are not on a stable dose of anti-seizure medication for at least 1 week prior to enrollment