Armodafinil in Treating Fatigue Caused By Radiation Therapy in Patients With Primary Brain Tumors

Inclusion Criteria * Histologically confirmed primary brain tumor, including any of the following: * Glioblastoma multiforme * Anaplastic astrocytoma * Anaplastic oligodendroglioma * Anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma * Low-grade glioma * Meningioma * Ependymoma * Other primary brain tumor histologies * Planning to undergo external-beam cranial radiotherapy (partial- or whole-brain radiotherapy) meeting all of the following criteria: * Total dose ≥ 4,500 cGy * Total number of fractions ≥ 25 fractions * Dose per fraction ≥ 150 cGy PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Karnofsky performance status 60-100% * Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL (erythropoietin or transfusion allowed for symptomatically anemic patients with a hemoglobin \< 10 g/dL) * Creatinine ≤ 2 mg/dL * Total bilirubin ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * SGOT and SGPT ≤ 3 times ULN * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Sexually active women of childbearing potential must use a reliable method of birth control * It is recommended that patients use non-hormonal contraceptives, in addition to or in place of hormonal contraceptives, during and for one month following treatment with armodafinil * Prior malignancies allowed Exclusion Criteria: * No baseline headaches (i.e., headaches occurring in the week before baseline assessment) of grade 4 severity (defined as severe and disabling headaches, requiring analgesics, and interfering with and preventing function or activities of daily living…