DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed malignant mesothelioma of any of the following subtypes:

  • Epithelial
  • Sarcomatoid
  • Mixed

• Any site of origin of malignant mesothelioma allowed including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  • Pleura
  • Peritoneum
  • Pericardium
  • Tunica vaginalis
• Pathology blocks or slides from a core surgical biopsy must be available
• Not amenable to curative surgery

• Measurable disease, defined as lesions that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded) as ≥ 20 mm with conventional techniques (CT scan , MRI, or x-ray) or as ≥ 10 mm with spiral CT scan

  • Patients with pleural rind only disease must have at least one level with one rind measurement ≥ 1.5 cm

  • Lesions that are considered nonmeasurable include the following:

    • Bone lesions
    • Leptomeningeal disease
    • Ascites
    • Pleural/pericardial effusion
    • Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis
    • Abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques
    • Cystic lesions

• Prior treatment with one and only one systemic chemotherapy regimen, which must have included pemetrexed disodium required

  • Treatment may have been with pemetrexed disodium alone or in combination with any other agent

• No symptomatic pleural effusions, unless the patient undergoes a therapeutic thoracentesis

  • Patients with pleural effusions who have had a pleurodesis are eligible
• No known brain metastases
• May be registered on CALGB-150707 companion study

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-1
• Granulocytes ≥ 1,500/μL
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/μL
• Total bilirubin ≤ 2 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST (SGOT) ≤ 2.5 x ULN
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• INR < 1.5
• PTT < 40 seconds
• QTc < 450 msec
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

• No significant cardiac disease, including any of the following:

  • New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III-IV congestive heart failure (CHF)
  • Unstable angina
  • Myocardial infarction or ventricular tachyarrhythmia within 6 months of study entry
  • Ejection fraction less than institutional normal (in patients with a history of CHF or currently with NYHA class I or II CHF)
  • Prolonged QTc > 450 msec (Fridericia correction)
  • Major conduction abnormality, unless a cardiac pacemaker is present
  • Hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia that cannot be corrected

• No history of significant bleeding disorder unrelated to cancer, including any of the following:

  • Congenital bleeding disorder (e.g., von Willebrand disease)
  • Acquired bleeding disorder within the past year (e.g., acquired anti-factor VIII antibodies)
  • Ongoing or recent (≤ 3 months) significant GI bleeding or hemoptysis
• No requirement for supplemental oxygen (i.e., pulse oximetry < 89% at rest)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• At least 4 weeks since prior pemetrexed disodium-containing chemotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiation therapy

  • Measurable disease must be outside the radiation port

• Prior intracavitary cytotoxic or sclerosing therapy (including bleomycin) allowed

  • Intrapleural cytotoxic chemotherapy will not be considered systemic chemotherapy

• At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent antithrombotic or anti-platelet agents, including any of the following:

  • Aspirin or aspirin-containing combinations
  • Clopidogrel
  • Dipyridamole
  • Tirofiban
  • Epoprostenol
  • Eptifibatide
  • Cilostazol
  • Abciximab
  • Ticlopidine

  • Warfarin

    • Low-dose warfarin for prophylaxis to prevent catheter thrombosis allowed

  • Heparin or low molecular weight heparin

    • Heparin for IV line flush allowed

• At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent use of the following drugs:

  • Itraconazole
  • Ketoconazole (at doses > 200 mg/day)
  • Miconazole
  • Voriconazole
  • Telithromycin
  • Primidone
  • Rifabutin
  • Rifampin
  • St. John's wort
  • Carbamazepine
  • Oxcarbazepine
  • Rifapentine
  • Phenobarbital
  • Phenytoin
  • Quinidine
  • Procainamide
  • Disopyramide
  • Amiodarone
  • Sotalol
  • Ibutilide
  • Dofetilide
  • Erythromycin
  • Clarithromycin
  • Chlorpromazine
  • Haloperidol
  • Mesoridazine
  • Thioridazine
  • Pimozide
  • Bepridil
  • Droperidol
  • Halofantrine
  • Levomethadyl
  • Sparfloxacin
• No concurrent H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors
• No bisphosphonate therapy during the first 8 weeks of study treatment
• No concurrent hormones or other chemotherapeutic agents except for steroids administered for dasatinib-related pleural effusion or hormones administered for non-disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)
• No concurrent palliative radiation therapy