Bortezomib in Treating Patients With Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Inclusion criteria: * Histologically confirmed malignant pleural mesothelioma * Meets 1 of the following criteria for first-line or second-line chemotherapy: * Patients in the first-line setting must be unsuitable for, cannot access locally, or refuse combination chemotherapy * Patients in the second-line setting must be unsuitable for, cannot access locally, or refuse cytotoxic chemotherapy after failure of a first-line regimen * Second-line patients may not have received more than 1 prior line of antineoplastic treatment for this cancer * Pleural effusions should be drained before treatment whenever possible * Talc or tetracycline pleurodesis may be used per standard practice for uncontrollable pleural effusions (recurrent despite regular drainage) Exclusion criteria: * Symptomatic or known brain or leptomeningeal metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Inclusion criteria: * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL * Neutrophil count ≥ 1,500 mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min * AST and ALT \< 3 times upper limit of normal * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during study therapy Exclusion criteria: * Pregnant or breastfeeding * History of prior malignant tumor within the past 3 years except for nonmelanoma skin tumor or carcinoma in situ of the cervix * Patients suitably fit to receive a platinum doublet based chemotherapy (first-line only) * Uncontrolled or severe cardiovascular disease including any of the following: * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure * Uncontrolled angina * Clinically significant pericardial disease * Cardiac amyloidosis * Neuropathy ≥ grade 2 OR grade 1 with pain * Serious medical (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, hepatic disease, or infection) or psychiatric illness that would interfere with study participation * Patients with known HIV or hepatitis B or C infection PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior bortezomib * No prior extensive radiation therapy, systemic chemotherapy, or other antineoplastic therapy within 4 weeks before enrollment * No preplanned surgery or procedures that would interfere with the study * More than 4 weeks since enrollment in another therapeutic clinical trial (i.e., received an experimental drug or used an experimental medical device) * Concurrent participation in non-treatment studies is allowed provided they do not interfere with participation in this study * No concurrent experimental or antineoplastic agent other than bortezomib * Medications that may have antineoplastic activity, but are taken for other reasons than specific antineoplastic effect (e.g., megestrol \[Megace®\], cyclo-oxygenase-2 \[COX-2\] inhibitors, or bisphosphonates) are allowed