Sunitinib in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of 1 of the following: * Biopsy proven small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) * Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) meeting all of the following criteria: * Peripheral blood lymphocyte count \> 5,000/mm\^3 * Lymphocytes must consist of small to moderate size lymphocytes, with \< 55% prolymphocytes, atypical lymphocytes, or lymphoblasts morphologically * Immunophenotyping consistent with CLL, defined by the following criteria: * Predominant population of lymphocytes share both B-cell antigens (i.e., CD19, CD20, or CD23) as well as CD5 in the absence of other pan-T-cell markers (e.g., CD3 or CD2) * Dim surface immunoglobulin expression * Exclusively kappa and lambda light chains * Splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, or lymphadenopathy are not required * Refractory or relapsed disease as evidenced by 1 of the following criteria: * Progression after ≥ 1 course of a purine nucleoside (i.e., fludarabine phosphate, cladribine, pentostatin) regimen * Progression after ≥ 1 course of an alkylator (i.e., cyclophosphamide or chlorambucil) regimen * Relapse after ≥ 1 prior purine nucleoside oral kylator (i.e., cyclophosphamide or chlorambucil) regimen * Requires chemotherapy, as indicated by any of the following criteria: * Measurable (i.e., \> 5,000/mm\^3) and progressive clonal lymphocytosis * Measurable (i.e., single diameter \> 2 cm) and progressive lymphadenopathy * Disease-related symptoms, including 1 or more of the following: * Weight loss \> 10% within the past 6 months * Extreme fatigue attributed to CLL/SLL * Fevers \> 100.5\^oF for 2 weeks without evidence of infection * Night sweats without evidence of infection * Evidence of progressive marrow failure, as manifested by the development of or worsening anemia (hemoglobin \< 10 g/dL) and/or thrombocytopenia (platelet count \< 100,000/mm\^3) * Massive (i.e. \> 6 cm below left costal margin) or progressives plenomegaly * No mantle cell lymphoma, as demonstrated by a negative fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis fort(11;14)(IgVH/CCND1) on peripheral blood or tissue biopsy * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Life expectancy ≥ 12 months * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Bilirubin normal * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 3 times ULN * Platelet count \> 30,000/mm\^3 (without transfusion) * Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,000/mm\^3 * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * Able to complete patient diaries alone or with assistance * No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 28 days * No other malignancy except for squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ carcinoma of the cervix, unless the tumor was curatively treated within the past 2 years * No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to sunitinib malate * No inability to swallow or retain sunitinib malate capsules due to any of the following: * Gastrointestinal tract disease * Requirement for IV alimentation * Prior surgical procedures affecting absorption * Active peptic ulcer disease * No pre-existing thyroid abnormality that would make the patient unable to maintain normal thyroid function with medication * No pulmonary embolism within the past 12 months * No serious or nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture * No uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Ongoing or active infections * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study requirements * No cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attack within the past 12 months * No uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., systolic blood pressure \[BP\] ≥ 140 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mm Hg) * No significant cardiac arrhythmia, including any of the following: * QTc prolongation (i.e., QTc interval ≥ 500 msec) * Ventricular tachycardia * Atrial fibrillation * Atrial flutter * Second or third degree heart block * No cardiac disease within the past 12 months, including any of the following: * Myocardial infarction * Cardiac arrhythmia * Stable/unstable angina * Symptomatic congestive heart failure * Coronary/peripheral artery bypass graft or stenting * No New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV heart failure * The following patients are eligible provided they have NYHA class II cardiac function on baseline ECHO/MUGA: * History of NYHA class II heart failure and asymptomatic on treatment * No prior anthracycline exposure * No prior central thoracic radiation that included the heart in the radiation port * See Disease Characteristics * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy * At least 4 weeks since prior rituximab or alemtuzumab * At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery * At least 4 weeks since prior oral steroids * No prior treatment with any other antiangiogenic agent, including any of the following: * Bevacizumab * Sorafenib * Pazopanib * AZD2171 * Vatalanib * VEGF Trap * At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent CYP3A4 inhibitors, including any of the following: * Ketoconazole * Itraconazole * Clarithromycin * Erythromycin * Diltiazem * Verapamil * HIV protease inhibitors (i.e., indinavir, saquinavir,ritonavir, atazanavir, nelfinavir) * Delavirdine * At least 12 days since prior and no concurrent CYP3A4 inducers, including any of the following: * Rifampin * Rifabutin * Carbamazepine * Phenobarbital * Phenytoin * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) * Efavirenz * Tipranavir * No other concurrent investigational agents * No concurrent agents with proarrhythmic potential, including any of the following: * Terfenadine * Quinidine * Procainamide * Disopyramide * Sotalol * Probucol * Bepridil * Haloperidol * Risperidone * Indapamide * Flecainide * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies * No concurrent therapeutic doses of coumarin-derivative anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin) * Concurrent prophylactic low molecular weight heparin or warfarin at doses ≤ 2 mg daily for thrombosis prophylaxis allowed