Imatinib Mesylate and Hydroxyurea in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Progressive Meningioma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed meningioma
* Recurrent or progressive disease after prior surgical resection
* Measurable disease by contrast-enhanced MRI
* Multifocal disease allowed
* No evidence of intratumor hemorrhage on pretreatment diagnostic imaging

  * Stable postoperative grade 1 hemorrhage allowed
* No peripheral edema or central or systemic fluid collections ≥ grade 2 (e.g., pericardial effusion, pulmonary effusion, ascites)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Karnofsky performance status 70-100%
* Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mm³
* Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL
* Platelet count \> 100,000/mm³
* Potassium normal\*
* Calcium normal\*
* Magnesium normal\*
* Phosphorus normal\*
* alanine aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) \< 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Bilirubin \< 1.5 times ULN
* Creatinine \< 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No excessive risk of bleeding, as defined by stroke within the past 6 months
* No active systemic bleeding (i.e., gastrointestinal bleeding or gross hematuria)
* No history of central nervous system (CNS) or intraocular bleeding or septic endocarditis
* No concurrent severe and/or uncontrolled medical disease, including any of the following:

  * Uncontrolled diabetes
  * Congestive cardiac failure
  * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  * Poorly controlled hypertension
  * History of labile hypertension
  * History of poor compliance with antihypertensive regimen
  * Chronic renal disease
  * Active uncontrolled infection requiring intravenous antibiotics
* No acute or chronic liver disease (i.e., hepatitis, cirrhosis)
* No HIV positivity
* No impairment of gastrointestinal function or disease that may significantly alter the absorption of imatinib mesylate, including any of the following:

  * Ulcerative disease
  * Uncontrolled nausea
  * Vomiting
  * Diarrhea
  * Malabsorption syndrome
  * Bowel obstruction
  * Inability to swallow tablets
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell skin cancer or cervical carcinoma in situ NOTE: \*Unless correctable with supplements

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from prior therapy
* More than 1 week since prior tumor biopsy
* More than 2 weeks since prior surgical resection
* Prior hydroxyurea allowed provided patient has not had progressive disease or toxicity \> grade 3
* No prior imatinib mesylate or other platelet-derived growth factor-directed therapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas)\*

  * Chemotherapeutic agents such as etoposide that are normally given at shorter intervals allowed even if \< 4 weeks from last prior dose of chemotherapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy\*
* At least 1 week since prior biological, immunotherapeutic, or cytostatic drugs
* At least 2 weeks since prior investigational drugs
* No concurrent warfarin NOTE: \*Unless there is unequivocal evidence of tumor progression