Gefitinib in Treating Patients With Malignant Mesothelioma

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed malignant mesothelioma that is not amenable to curative surgery or radiotherapy * Epithelial, sarcomatoid, or mixed subtype * Any site of origin (including, but not limited to, the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium, or tunica vaginalis) allowed * Measurable disease, defined as lesions that can be accurately measured in at least 1 dimension (longest diameter) as at least 20 mm with conventional techniques or at least 10 mm with spiral CT scan * Must be outside prior radiation port * Lesions not considered measurable include the following: * Bone lesions * Leptomeningeal disease * Ascites * Pleural/pericardial effusion * Inflammatory breast disease * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis * Abdominal masses not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques * Cystic lesions * No known brain metastases * Performance status - CTC 0-1 * Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 * Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * SGOT no greater than 2.5 times ULN * Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No cardiac arrhythmia * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No other concurrent active malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer * Disease considered not currently active if completely treated with less than a 30% risk for relapse * No other concurrent uncontrolled illness * No ongoing or active infection * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance * No prior epidermal growth factor receptor-inhibitor therapy * Prior intrapleural cytotoxic or sclerosing agents (including bleomycin) allowed * No prior systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy for malignant mesothelioma * No concurrent chemotherapy * At least 1 week since prior CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., dexamethasone, glucocorticoids, progesterone) * No concurrent CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., dexamethasone) * No concurrent hormonal therapy (e.g., tamoxifen) except steroids for adrenal failure or hormones for non disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes) * See Disease Characteristics * At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy * No concurrent radiotherapy, including for palliation * See Disease Characteristics * At least 2 weeks since prior major surgery * At least 1 week since other prior CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., carbamazepine, ethosuximide, griseofulvin, nafcillin, nelfinavir mesylate, nevirapine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenylbutazone, phenytoin, primidone, rifabutin, rifampin, rofecoxib, St. John's Wort, sulfadimidine, sulfinpyrazone, or troglitazone) * No other concurrent CYP3A4 inducers * No concurrent CYP3A4 substrates or inhibitors * No other concurrent investigational agent * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * No concurrent chlorpromazine, amiodarone, or chloroquine