Saracatinib in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Thymoma or Thymic Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed invasive thymoma or thymic carcinoma, meeting the following criteria: * Relapsed or refractory disease * Metastatic, unresectable disease * Locally invasive disease allowed provided it is not resectable and has been previously treated * Progressive disease * Measurable disease, defined as \>= 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion \>= 20 mm by conventional techniques or \>= 10 mm by spiral CT scan * Must have received \>= 1 prior chemotherapy regimen * No active brain metastases * Patients with previously treated brain metastases (surgical resection or radiotherapy) are eligible provided they have documented stable brain disease for \>= 1 month after completion of therapy and are asymptomatic * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Leukocytes \>= 3,000/mm\^3 * ANC \>= 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL * Serum bilirubin \< 2.0 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Transaminases =\< 2.5 times ULN (\< 5.0 times ULN if liver metastasis is present) * Serum creatinine \< 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min * Urine protein:creatinine ratio \< 0.5 OR urine protein \< 1,000 mg by 24-hour urine collection * QTc \< 460 msec * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 30 days after completion of study treatment * No known history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to AZD0530 * No other malignancies within the past 3 years, except curatively treated in situ carcinoma of the cervix or completely resected nonmelanoma skin cancer * No concurrent active malignancies other than thymic malignancy * No condition that impairs the ability to swallow AZD0350 tablets (e.g., gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication or a requirement for IV alimentation, prior surgical procedures affecting absorption, or active peptic ulcer disease) * No cardiac dysfunction including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Symptomatic congestive heart failure * Unstable angina pectoris * Cardiac arrhythmia * History of ischemic heart disease * Myocardial infarction within the past year * No QTc prolongation or other significant ECG abnormalities * No poorly controlled hypertension (i.e., systolic blood pressure \[BP\] ≥ 150 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥ 95 mm Hg) * No evidence of severe or uncontrolled systemic conditions that would make it undesirable to participate in the study or that would jeopardize compliance with the study, including any of the following: * Severe hepatic impairment * Interstitial lung disease (bilateral, diffuse, or parenchymal lung disease) * Unstable or uncompensated respiratory condition * Unstable or uncompensated cardiac condition * No uncontrolled illness including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Ongoing or active infection * Mental health issues or social circumstances that would limit compliance with study requirements * No prior src inhibitors * At least 4 weeks since prior systemic therapy (6 weeks for carmustine or mitomycin C) * At least 8 weeks since prior immunotherapy * At least 4 weeks since prior octreotide * Concurrent octreotide for pure red cell aplasia allowed provided patient continues on the same dose and schedule, has had a response to this drug, and has demonstrated progressive thymoma by radiography or physical exam * At least 4 weeks since prior surgery and recovered * At least 4 weeks since prior investigational agents * At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to measurable disease sites (2 weeks for palliative radiotherapy to metastatic sites) and recovered * At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent active CYP3A4 agents or substances * No other concurrent investigational or anticancer agents * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * Concurrent steroids allowed for treatment of a pre-existing autoimmune disorder or as antiemetic therapy