OUTLINE: Patients receive O6-benzylguanine IV over 1 hour followed approximately 1 hour later by carmustine IV over 1 hour on day 1. Treatment repeats every 6 weeks for a maximum of 3 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are then referred for radiotherapy. Patients who demonstrate tumor response after completion of the third course of chemotherapy receive 6 additional courses after completion of radiotherapy.