S0509 - AZD2171 in Treating Patients With Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed epithelial, sarcomatous, or biphasic malignant pleural mesothelioma * Unresectable disease * Residual disease after prior cytoreductive surgery allowed * Measurable disease by CT scan or MRI * Prior treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy required * No known CNS metastasis * Performance status * Zubrod 0-2 * WBC \>= 3,000/mm\^3 * Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm\^3 * AST or ALT =\< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Bilirubin normal * Creatinine =\< 1.5 times ULN OR * Creatinine clearance \>= 50 mL/min * Proteinuria =\< 1+ by 2 consecutive dipstick tests taken \>= 1 week apart * No history of familial long QT syndrome * Mean QTc =\< 470 msec * Systolic BP =\< 150 mm Hg AND diastolic BP =\< 100 mm Hg * Must have New York Heart Association class I or II disease * Class II must be controlled with treatment * Able to swallow and/or receive enteral medications via gastrostomy feeding tube * Not requiring IV alimentation * No active peptic ulcer * No intractable nausea or vomiting * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer in remission * No history of hypersensitivity reaction to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to the study drug * Prior monoclonal antibody therapy targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF receptor 1(VEGFR1) or VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) allowed * No other prior immunotherapy or biologic therapy * No prior thymidine kinase inhibitor against VEGFR1 or VEGFR2 * No concurrent drugs or biologics with proarrhythmic potential * No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen * At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy (42 days for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered * At least 21 days since prior radiotherapy and recovered * At least 28 days since prior major surgery (e.g., thoracotomy or laparotomy) and recovered * No prior surgery that would affect absorption * Stable antihypertensive therapy allowed provided blood pressure (BP) parameters are met * Concurrent enrollment on SWOG-S9925 allowed * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients