Gefitinib and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Glioblastoma Multiforme

Inclusion Criteria: Histopathologically confirmed glioblastoma multiforme (with areas of necrosis) Diagnosis must be made by surgical biopsy or excision The tumor must be supratentorial in location The patient must have recovered from the effects of surgery, post-operative infection, or other complications before study entry Radiotherapy must begin =< five weeks after surgery, and Iressa (gefitinib) must begin one week prior to radiotherapy Patients must have an estimated survival of at least 8 weeks Zubrod performance status of 0-1 A diagnostic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan must be performed preoperatively and postoperatively prior to the initiation of radiotherapy; preoperative and postoperative scans must be the same type Patients diagnosed only by stereotactic biopsy do not require the postoperative scan Patients unable to undergo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging because of non-compatible devices can be enrolled, provided pre and postoperative CT scans are obtained and are of sufficient quality Hemoglobin >= 10 grams Absolute neutrophil count >= 1500 (ANC) per mm^3 Platelets >= 100,000 per mm^3 Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) =< 25 mg Creatinine =< 1.5 mg Bilirubin =< 2.0 mg Serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) or serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) =< 2 x normal range Patients must consent to submission of their tissue/serum The patient must sign a study-specific informed consent prior to study entry; if the patient's mental status precludes his/her giving informed consent, written informed consent may be given by the responsible family member Exclusion Criteria: Recurrent or multifocal malignant gliomas Metastases detected below the tentorium or beyond the cranial vault Major medical illnesses or psychiatric impairments which, in the investigator's opinion, will prevent administration or completion of protocol therapy Previous radiotherapy to the head or neck (except for T1 glottic cancer), resulting in overlap of radiation fields Active connective tissue disorders, such as lupus or scleroderma which, in the opinion of the treating physician, may put the patient at high risk for radiation toxicity Previous malignancies, except for non-melanomatous skin cancers and carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix or bladder, unless disease-free for >= 3 years Prior chemotherapy or radiosensitizers for cancers of the head and neck region Patients with known acquired immune deficiency (AIDS); patients with AIDS require complex therapeutic regimens; the pharmacokinetic interactions of these regimens with ZD 1839 are unknown and therefore, pose a safety risk related to excess toxicity or interference with anti-viral effectiveness Patients with known multiple sclerosis, as these patients may have decreased tolerance for radiation therapy to the brain Pregnant or lactating women, due to possible adverse effects on the developing fetus or infant due to study drug Patients treated on any other clinical protocols within 30 days prior to study entry or during participation in the study