OUTLINE: This is a nonrandomized study. Patients are stratified by disease (recurrent glioblastoma vs anaplastic astrocytoma or mixed anaplastic glioma). Patients receive carmustine intravenously on day 1 two hours prior to temozolomide. Temozolomide is administered orally on day 1. Cycles repeat every 42 days. Treatment for patients with recurrent glioblastoma may continue for 8 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. If there is no disease progression after 8 cycles, treatment may continue further at the investigator's discretion. Patients with anaplastic astrocytoma or mixed anaplastic glioma continue for 4 cycles of treatment. Patients are followed periodically at the investigator's discretion, at least twice in the first 4 months, and then until death.