OUTLINE: Patients receive pre-irradiation chemotherapy consisting of carmustine IV over 1 hour on days 1-3 and oral etoposide on days 1-21 and 29-49 immediately followed by cisplatin IV over 1-2 hours on days 1-3 and 29-31. Treatment repeats every 8 weeks for 2 courses. Patients receive concurrent cranial radiotherapy daily over 8 weeks during course 2. Patients then receive carmustine IV over 1-2 hours every 8 weeks for 4 courses. Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Quality of life is assessed before the study, prior to each treatment course, every 4 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 4 years, and then annually for 5 years. Patients are followed every 4 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 4 years, annually for 5 years, and then for survival.