Sunitinib in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse or Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Criteria:

* Histologically confirmed diffuse or mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma\*, meeting the following criteria: Advanced or metastatic disease, Incurable by standard therapies, Relapsed or refractory disease \[Note: \*Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma whose disease has transformed from an earlier diagnosis of low grade lymphoma (i.e., an indolent histology) are eligible\]
* Bidimensionally measurable disease\*\* by CT scan, MRI, or physical exam, with \>= 1 disease site meeting 1 of the following criteria: Lymph nodes \>= 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm by spiral CT scan, Non-nodal regions \>= 1 cm x 1 cm by MRI, CT scan, or physical exam \[Note: \*\*Bone lesions are not considered bidimensionally measurable disease\]
* Received 1-2 prior chemotherapy regimens that included doxorubicin hydrochloride; Prior stem cell transplantation and high-dose chemotherapy is considered one regimen; One prior non-chemotherapy regimen in the form of radiation allowed; Measurable disease must be outside the previously irradiated area;
* No sole site of disease in a previously irradiated area unless progressive disease or new lesions are documented; Low-dose palliative radiotherapy may be allowed
* No known brain metastases
* Life expectancy \>= 12 weeks
* ECOG performance status 0-1
* Absolute granulocyte count \>= 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm\^3
* AST and ALT =\< 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Bilirubin normal
* Calcium =\< 3 mmol/L
* Creatinine =\< 1.25 times ULN OR creatinine clearance \>= 60 mL/min
* LVEF normal by MUGA
* None of the following in the past 12 months: cardiac arrhythmia, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), coronary/peripheral artery bypass graft or stenting, myocardial infarction, stable or unstable angina, symptomatic congestive heart failure, transient ischemic attack, pulmonary embolism
* No uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure \>= 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure \>= 90 mm Hg)
* No New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV heart disease
* No QTc prolongation (QTc interval \>= 500 msec) or other significant ECG abnormalities
* No other prior malignancies except nonmelanoma skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer, or other solid tumors curatively treated with no evidence of disease for \>= 5 years
* No history of allergic reaction to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to sunitinib malate
* No other serious illness or medical condition that would preclude study participation, including, but not limited to, the following:

active, uncontrolled infection, serious or nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture, history of significant neurologic or psychiatric disorder that would impair the ability to obtain consent or limit compliance

* Other medical condition that might be aggravated by treatment
* No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 28 days
* No bowel obstruction
* No condition that would impair the ability to swallow and retain sunitinib malate tablets, including any of the following:

Gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in inability to take oral medication or a requirement for IV alimentation, Prior surgical procedures affecting absorption, Active peptic ulcer disease

* No pre-existing hypothyroidism unless euthyroid on medication
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy
* At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy and recovered; radiotherapy must have involved \< 30% of functioning bone marrow
* At least 28 days since prior major surgery and recovered
* At least 12 days since prior and no concurrent CYP3A4 inducers, including any of the following: rifampin, phenytoin, rifabutin, hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort), carbamazepine, efavirenz, phenobarbital, tipranavir,
* At least 7 days since prior and concurrent CYP3A4 inhibitors, including any of the following: azole antifungals (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole), verapamil, clarithromycin, HIV protease inhibitors (e.g., indinavir, saquinavir, ritonavir, atazanavir, nelfinavir), erythromycin, delavirdine, diltiazem,
* No prior therapy with other antiangiogenic agents or multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors, including any of the following:

bevacizumab, sorafenib tosylate, pazopanib, thalidomide, AZD2171 vandetanib, AMG 706, vatalanib, VEGF Trap

* No concurrent therapeutic doses of coumarin-derivative anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin); Concurrent dosing of =\< 2 mg of warfarin daily for prophylaxis of thrombosis is allowed; Concurrent low molecular weight heparin is allowed provided INR is =\< 1.5
* No other concurrent anticancer treatments, including investigational agents
* No concurrent agents with proarrhythmic potential, including any of the following: terfenadine, quinidine, procainamide, disopyramide, sotalol, probucol, bepridil, haloperidol, risperidone, indapamide, flecainide
* No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients