Carboxylesterase-Expressing Allogeneic Neural Stem Cells and Irinotecan Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Recurrent High-Grade Gliomas

Inclusion Criteria: * Patient must be able to understand and be willing to sign a written informed consent document * Participant must be willing to comply with study and/or follow-up procedures * Karnofsky performance status \>= 70% * Life expectancy of \>= 3 months * Histologically-confirmed diagnosis of a grade III or 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 tumor(s); if a patient is going to be enrolled to dose level two or higher, the patient must have a component of supratentorial disease (so as to enable placement of a Rickham reservoir/catheter) that is amenable to resection or biopsy * High-grade glioma has recurred or progressed after prior treatment with brain radiation and temozolomide * Participant 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 * Neurosurgeon finds the prospective participant is able to undergo neurosurgery * Any number of prior therapies is permitted; from the start of study treatment, the following time periods must have elapsed: 6 weeks from nitrosourea-containing chemotherapy, 4 weeks from non-nitrosourea-containing cytotoxic chemotherapy (except 23 days from last daily dose of temozolomide taken in a 5 of 28 day regimen), and 2 weeks from last dose of a targeted agent (except 4 weeks for bevacizumab); there is no time period requirement for prior radiation therapy * Any clinically significant toxicity from prior therapy must have improved to grade 0 or grade 1 * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1,500 cells/ul * Platelets \> 100,000 cells/ul * Total bilirubin =\< 2.0 mg/dl * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\]) =\< 4 times institutional upper limit of normal * Serum creatinine =\< 1.5 x the institutional upper limit of normal * Homozygous negative for the UDP glucuronosyltransferase 1 family, polypeptide A1 (UGT 1A1)\*28 allele * Absence anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies specific for HLA class I antigens expressed by the coagulation factor III (thromboplastin, tissue factor) (F3).cytosine deaminase (CD).carboxylesterase (CE) NSCs * Negative serum pregnancy test (women of childbearing potential only) * Agreement by females of childbearing potential and sexually active males to use an effective method of contraception while participating in this study; women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test \< 2 weeks prior to registration Exclusion Criteria: * Prior therapy with neural stem cells * Use of cytochrome P450, family 3, subfamily A, polypeptide 4 (CYP3A4) inducers including hepatic enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants (phenytoin, fosphenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, primidone, oxcarbazepine) within 2 weeks prior to start of study treatment * Use of moderate to strong CYP3A4 inhibitors within 2 weeks prior to start of study treatment * Use of drugs known to inhibit UGT1A1, such as atazanir, gemfibrozil, indinavir, or ketoconazole, within 2 weeks prior to start of study treatment * Co-medication that may interfere with study results; e.g. immuno-suppressive agents other than corticosteroids, such as systemic cyclosporine and tacrolimus; consult principal investigator for questions, including necessary washout period for the specific drug * Flucytosine within 2 weeks prior to start of study treatment * Use of herbal medications * Current use (or planned use during the treatment period) of other investigational agents, or biological, chemotherapy, radiation or other anti-tumor therapy * Patient has known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis C infection; baseline testing for HIV or hepatitis C is not required * Prospective participant is unable to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast agent * Known chronic or active viral infections of the central nervous system (CNS) * Clinically significant uncontrolled illness * Active infection requiring antibiotics * Diagnosis of Gilbert?s disease * History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to irinotecan * Known sensitivity to any of the products to be administered during dosing * Any other active malignancy * Pregnant women and women who are lactating * Serious medical or psychiatric illness that could, in the investigator?s opinion, potentially interfere with the safety monitoring requirements and completion of treatment according to this protocol * Prospective participants who, in the opinion of the investigator, may not be able to comply with all study procedures (including compliance issues related to feasibility/logistics)