Thiotepa Followed by Peripheral Stem Cell or Bone Marrow Transplant in Treating Patients With Malignant Glioma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed malignant glioma * Primary or recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (including gliosarcoma) following surgery and radiotherapy or prior conventional chemotherapy (e.g., carmustine or procarbazine, vincristine, and lomustine) * Recurrent or refractory anaplastic astrocytoma following any prior therapy (must be chemoresistant) * Recurrent or refractory ependymoma or primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) following any prior therapy * Recurrent or refractory oligodendroglioma or oligoastrocytoma following any prior therapy (must be chemoresistant) * Evaluable disease on gadolinium-enhanced MRI * Ineligible for other high priority national or institutional study (e.g., protocol CAMP-004) PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * Any age Performance status: * ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: * Not specified Hematopoietic: * Not specified Hepatic: * Not specified Renal: * Creatinine less than 1.5 times normal Cardiovascular: * LVEF at least 45% by MUGA Pulmonary: * DLCO at least 60% of predicted OR * Approval by pulmonologist Other: * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * HIV negative PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * Not specified Chemotherapy: * See Disease Characteristics * No other concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: * No concurrent anticancer hormonal therapy * No concurrent steroids as antiemetics Radiotherapy: * See Disease Characteristics * See Sur…