Gefitinib in Treating Patients With Malignant Mesothelioma

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically confirmed malignant mesothelioma that is not amenable to curative surgery or radiotherapy

  * Epithelial, sarcomatoid, or mixed subtype
  * Any site of origin (including, but not limited to, the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium, or tunica vaginalis) allowed
* Measurable disease, defined as lesions that can be accurately measured in at least 1 dimension (longest diameter) as at least 20 mm with conventional techniques or at least 10 mm with spiral CT scan

  * Must be outside prior radiation port
  * Lesions not considered measurable include the following:

    * Bone lesions
    * Leptomeningeal disease
    * Ascites
    * Pleural/pericardial effusion
    * Inflammatory breast disease
    * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis
    * Abdominal masses not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques
    * Cystic lesions
* No known brain metastases
* Performance status - CTC 0-1
* Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* SGOT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No unstable angina pectoris
* No cardiac arrhythmia
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No other concurrent active malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer

  * Disease considered not currently active if completely treated with less than a 30% risk for relapse
* No other concurrent uncontrolled illness
* No ongoing or active infection
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
* No prior epidermal growth factor receptor-inhibitor therapy
* Prior intrapleural cytotoxic or sclerosing agents (including bleomycin) allowed
* No prior systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy for malignant mesothelioma
* No concurrent chemotherapy
* At least 1 week since prior CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., dexamethasone, glucocorticoids, progesterone)
* No concurrent CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., dexamethasone)
* No concurrent hormonal therapy (e.g., tamoxifen) except steroids for adrenal failure or hormones for non disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)
* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* No concurrent radiotherapy, including for palliation
* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 2 weeks since prior major surgery
* At least 1 week since other prior CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., carbamazepine, ethosuximide, griseofulvin, nafcillin, nelfinavir mesylate, nevirapine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenylbutazone, phenytoin, primidone, rifabutin, rifampin, rofecoxib, St. John's Wort, sulfadimidine, sulfinpyrazone, or troglitazone)
* No other concurrent CYP3A4 inducers
* No concurrent CYP3A4 substrates or inhibitors
* No other concurrent investigational agent
* No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* No concurrent chlorpromazine, amiodarone, or chloroquine