17-N-Allylamino-17-Demethoxygeldanamycin in Treating Patients With Systemic Mastocytosis

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed systemic mastocytosis * Objective evidence of disease, as defined by the following: * Hemoglobin \< 10 g/dL * Recurrent mast cell mediator-release symptoms that impair the patient's quality of life * Symptomatic hepatosplenomegaly * Ascites * Symptomatic bone disease * Profound constitutional symptoms (e.g., fatigue, asthenia, flushing, hyperpyrexia, weight loss, myalgia, and arthralgia) * Elevated serum tryptase level * Mast cell leukemia allowed * Mastocytosis associated with myeloproliferative disease (e.g., hypereosinophilic syndrome or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia) allowed * Patients with eosinophilia (i.e., absolute eosinophil count ≥ 1,000/mm\^3) must be evaluated for the presence or absence of FIP1L1-PDGFRA mutation; if the mutation is absent, the patient is eligible; if the mutation is present, the patient is eligible provided disease is refractory to imatinib mesylate * Patients with indolent disease must have a serum tryptase level ≥ 50 ng/mL OR episodes of anaphylaxis that occur with a frequency of \> 1 per month PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy * At least 3 months Hematopoietic * See Disease Characteristics * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 (\> 25,000/mm\^3 for patients with organomegaly) * Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3(\> 750/mm\^3 for patients with organomegaly) Hepatic * AST and ALT ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (\< 4 times ULN for patients with hepatomegaly) * Bilirubin normal * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 3 times ULN Renal * Creatinine ≤ 1.4 mg/dL OR * Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min Cardiovascular * No New York Heart Association class III-IV congestive heart failure * No history of myocardial infarction within the past year * No history of uncontrolled dysrhythmia * No uncontrolled angina * No ischemic heart disease within the past 12 months * No congenital long QT syndrome * No left bundle branch block * No serious ventricular arrhythmia (ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation ≥ 3 beats in a row) * QTc interval \< 450 msec for males or 470 msec for females * LVEF \> 40% by MUGA * MUGA or echocardiogram normal * No prior history of cardiac toxicity after receiving anthracyclines (e.g., doxorubicin hydrochloride, daunorubicin hydrochloride, mitoxantrone hydrochloride, bleomycin, or carmustine) * No cardiac symptoms ≥ grade 2 * No other significant cardiac disease Pulmonary * No symptomatic pulmonary disease requiring medication including any of the following: * Dyspnea on or off exertion * Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea * Requirement for oxygen * Significant pulmonary disease (e.g., chronic obstructive/restrictive pulmonary disease) * No home oxygen meeting the Medicare requirement * No compromised pulmonary status (i.e., DLCO ≤ 80%) * No prior history of pulmonary toxicity after receiving anthracyclines (e.g., doxorubicin hydrochloride, daunorubicin hydrochloride, mitoxantrone hydrochloride, bleomycin, or carmustine) * No pulmonary symptoms ≥ grade 2 Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 6 months after completion of study treatment * HIV negative * No active uncontrolled infection * No serious medical illness * No other non-malignant systemic disease * No history of serious allergic reaction to eggs * No other malignancy within the past 2 years except dermatological cancer PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * Not specified Chemotherapy * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy * Steroids allowed provided tapering to the lowest level possible to treat thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, or malabsorption symptoms of systemic mastocytosis Radiotherapy * At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy * No prior radiation that included the heart in the field (e.g., mantle) or chest Surgery * Not specified Other * At least 4 weeks since prior tyrosine kinase inhibitors * No concurrent complimentary or alternative medications\* including, but not limited to, the following: * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) * Milk thistle * Kava kava * Mistletoe extract * No concurrent agents that cause QTc prolongation * No concurrent antiarrhythmic therapy * No other concurrent investigational therapy NOTE: \*Unless approved by the investigator