Sunitinib in Treating Patients With Metastatic, Locally Advanced, or Locally Recurrent Sarcomas

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed connective tissue neoplasm, including any of the following neoplastic subtypes: * Vascular connective tissue neoplasms * Leiomyosarcoma * Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans * Chordoma * Desmoid tumors * High-grade undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (e.g., malignant fibrous histiocytoma \[including myxofibrosarcoma\]) * Carcinosarcomas (e.g., malignant mixed Müllerian tumors) * Giant hemangiomata * Kaposi sarcoma * Metastatic, locally advanced, or locally recurrent disease * Measurable disease * Tumor lesions in a previously irradiated area may be considered measurable provided there is evidence of growth that cannot be attributed to necrosis or bleeding * No gastrointestinal stromal tumor sarcomas * Prior standard neoadjuvant or adjuvant systemic therapy required for patients with the following diagnoses: * Rhabdomyosarcoma * Osteosarcoma * Ewing sarcoma * No untreated brain metastases, spinal cord compression, or evidence of symptomatic brain metastases or leptomeningeal disease as documented on screening CT scan or MRI PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * PT and INR ≤ 1.5 * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * Calcium ≤ 12 mg/dL * Blood glucose \< 150 mg/dL * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception prior to, during, and for 28 days after completion of study therapy * Other malignancies allowed provided sarcoma is the primary disease requiring systemic therapy * Able to swallow oral medications * No other disease or illness within the past 6 months, including any of the following: * Myocardial infarction * Severe or unstable angina * Coronary or peripheral artery bypass graft * Symptomatic congestive heart failure * Cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attack * Pulmonary embolism * No evidence of a bleeding diathesis * No ongoing cardiac dysrhythmias \> grade 2 * No uncontrolled hypertension, defined as blood pressure \> 150/100 mm Hg despite optimal medical therapy * Left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 50% by echocardiogram or MUGA scan * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance * No pre-existing thyroid abnormality, defined as abnormal thyroid function tests despite medication * No prolonged QTc interval (i.e., QTc \> 450 msec for males or QTc \> 470 msec for females) on baseline EKG * No hemorrhage ≥ grade 3 in the past 4 weeks PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * Recovered from prior therapy * No prior sunitinib malate * No more than 3 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease * Adjuvant chemotherapy for sarcoma completed \> 1 year prior to study entry is not considered a line of prior treatment * At least 2 weeks since prior cytotoxic chemotherapy * At least 6 weeks since prior carmustine or mitomycin C * At least 1 week since prior biological therapy or small molecule kinase inhibitors * At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy (except for palliative radiotherapy to specific sites) * Prior palliative radiotherapy allowed provided it is considered medically necessary and there are other target lesions to assess * More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery * Concurrent major surgery allowed provided study drug is stopped 2 weeks before surgery and resumed 2 weeks after surgery * Concurrent palliative radiotherapy (e.g., focal radiotherapy to a bony metastasis for relieving bone pain) allowed * No other concurrent investigational drugs * No concurrent participation in another clinical trial * No concurrent therapeutic anticoagulation (e.g., warfarin) * Prophylactic anticoagulation (i.e., low-dose warfarin) of venous or arterial access devices allowed provided requirements for PT and INR are met * No other concurrent approved or investigational anticancer agents or treatment, including chemotherapy, biological response modifier therapy, hormonal therapy, or immunotherapy * Concurrent hormone replacement therapy for adrenal insufficiency allowed * No concurrent antiepileptic drugs (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine, or phenobarbital) * No concurrent rifampin, theophylline, ketoconazole, or Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)