Tipifarnib, Temozolomide, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme or Gliosarcoma

Inclusion Criteria: Patients will have histologically proven intracranial Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) or gliosarcoma (GS) Diagnosis will have been established by biopsy or resection within 4 weeks prior to registration Patients must not have received previous radiotherapy to the brain Patients must not have received cytotoxic drug therapy, non-cytotoxic drug therapy, or experimental drug therapy directed against the brain tumor; patients who received Gliadel wafers will be excluded; patients may have received or be receiving corticosteroids, non-EIAEDs, analgesics, and other drugs to treat symptoms or prevent complications Cranial MRI or contrast CT must have been performed within 21days of study entry; the use of MRI rather than CT is preferred; the same type of scan, i.e., MRI or CT must be used throughout the period of protocol treatment for tumor measurement; if the surgical procedure was a resection, cranial MRI or contrast CT performed with 96 hours of resection is preferred but not required; patients without measurable or assessable disease are eligible Patients must have a plan to begin partial brain radiotherapy within 5-9 days after beginning R115777, and within 35 days (5 weeks) of the surgical procedure that established the diagnosis; radiotherapy must be given at the Radiation Oncology Department of the registering ABTC institution; radiotherapy must be given by external beam to a partial brain field in daily fractions of 2.0 Gy, to a planned total dose to the tumor of 60.0 Gy; stereotactic radiosurgery and brachytherapy will not be allowed Patients must be willing to forego other drug therapy against the tumor while being treated with R115777 and temozolomide All patients must sign an informed consent indicating that they are aware of the investigational nature of this study; patients must sign an authorization for the release of their protected health information; patients must be registered with the Adult Brain Tumor Consortium Central Office (ABTC CO) prior to treatment with study drug Life expectancy > 8 weeks Patients must have a Karnofsky performance status of >= 60 Patients must have adequate bone marrow function and the test must be performed within 14 days prior to registration; eligibility level for hemoglobin may be reached by transfusion WBC >= 3,000/µl ANC >= 1,500/mm^3 Platelet count of >= 100,000/mm^3 Hemoglobin >= 10 gm/dl Patients must have adequate liver function and the test must be performed within 14 days prior to registration SGOT < 2 times ULN Bilirubin < 2 times ULN Patients must have adequate renal function before starting therapy and the test must be performed within 14 days prior to registration Creatinine < 1.5 mg/dL Patients must not have any significant medical illnesses that in the investigator's opinion cannot be adequately controlled with appropriate therapy or would compromise the patient's ability to tolerate this therapy; patients must not have any disease that will obscure toxicity or dangerously alter drug metabolism Patients with a history of any other cancer (except non-melanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in-situ of the cervix), unless in complete remission and off of all therapy for that disease for a minimum of 3 years are ineligible This study was designed to include women and minorities, but was not designed to measure differences of intervention effects; males and females will be recruited with no preference to gender; no exclusion to this study will be based on race; minorities will actively be recruited to participate Patients must not have active infection Women must not be pregnant or Breast-feeding, and women with reproductive potential must practice adequate contraception; the anti-proliferative effects of the investigational agent may be detrimental to the developing fetus or nursing infant Patients must not be on chronic coumadin therapy for prior medical problems (e.g. cardiac valve prophylaxis); this is due to a presumed interaction with coumadin and ZARNESTRA leading to a significant increase in INR; patients who develop or have recently developed a deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism who are on or will take coumadin will be allowed to participate; however, the investigator should be prepared to monitor patients INR closely