Sunitinib in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma

Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis of 1 of the following:

  * Biopsy proven small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL)
  * Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) meeting all of the following criteria:

    * Peripheral blood lymphocyte count \> 5,000/mm\^3
    * Lymphocytes must consist of small to moderate size lymphocytes, with \< 55% prolymphocytes, atypical lymphocytes, or lymphoblasts morphologically
    * Immunophenotyping consistent with CLL, defined by the following criteria:

      * Predominant population of lymphocytes share both B-cell antigens (i.e., CD19, CD20, or CD23) as well as CD5 in the absence of other pan-T-cell markers (e.g., CD3 or CD2)
      * Dim surface immunoglobulin expression
      * Exclusively kappa and lambda light chains
      * Splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, or lymphadenopathy are not required
* Refractory or relapsed disease as evidenced by 1 of the following criteria:

  * Progression after ≥ 1 course of a purine nucleoside (i.e., fludarabine phosphate, cladribine, pentostatin) regimen
  * Progression after ≥ 1 course of an alkylator (i.e., cyclophosphamide or chlorambucil) regimen
  * Relapse after ≥ 1 prior purine nucleoside oral kylator (i.e., cyclophosphamide or chlorambucil) regimen
* Requires chemotherapy, as indicated by any of the following criteria:

  * Measurable (i.e., \> 5,000/mm\^3) and progressive clonal lymphocytosis
  * Measurable (i.e., single diameter \> 2 cm) and progressive lymphadenopathy
  * Disease-related symptoms, including 1 or more of the following:

    * Weight loss \> 10% within the past 6 months
    * Extreme fatigue attributed to CLL/SLL
    * Fevers \> 100.5\^oF for 2 weeks without evidence of infection
    * Night sweats without evidence of infection
  * Evidence of progressive marrow failure, as manifested by the development of or worsening anemia (hemoglobin \< 10 g/dL) and/or thrombocytopenia (platelet count \< 100,000/mm\^3)
  * Massive (i.e. \> 6 cm below left costal margin) or progressives plenomegaly
* No mantle cell lymphoma, as demonstrated by a negative fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis fort(11;14)(IgVH/CCND1) on peripheral blood or tissue biopsy
* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Life expectancy ≥ 12 months
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Bilirubin normal
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 3 times ULN
* Platelet count \> 30,000/mm\^3 (without transfusion)
* Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,000/mm\^3
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Able to complete patient diaries alone or with assistance
* No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 28 days
* No other malignancy except for squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ carcinoma of the cervix, unless the tumor was curatively treated within the past 2 years
* No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to sunitinib malate
* No inability to swallow or retain sunitinib malate capsules due to any of the following:

  * Gastrointestinal tract disease
  * Requirement for IV alimentation
  * Prior surgical procedures affecting absorption
  * Active peptic ulcer disease
* No pre-existing thyroid abnormality that would make the patient unable to maintain normal thyroid function with medication
* No pulmonary embolism within the past 12 months
* No serious or nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
* No uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Ongoing or active infections
  * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study requirements
* No cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attack within the past 12 months
* No uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., systolic blood pressure \[BP\] ≥ 140 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mm Hg)
* No significant cardiac arrhythmia, including any of the following:

  * QTc prolongation (i.e., QTc interval ≥ 500 msec)
  * Ventricular tachycardia
  * Atrial fibrillation
  * Atrial flutter
  * Second or third degree heart block
* No cardiac disease within the past 12 months, including any of the following:

  * Myocardial infarction
  * Cardiac arrhythmia
  * Stable/unstable angina
  * Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  * Coronary/peripheral artery bypass graft or stenting
* No New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV heart failure

  * The following patients are eligible provided they have NYHA class II cardiac function on baseline ECHO/MUGA:

    * History of NYHA class II heart failure and asymptomatic on treatment
    * No prior anthracycline exposure
    * No prior central thoracic radiation that included the heart in the radiation port
* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior rituximab or alemtuzumab
* At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery
* At least 4 weeks since prior oral steroids
* No prior treatment with any other antiangiogenic agent, including any of the following:

  * Bevacizumab
  * Sorafenib
  * Pazopanib
  * AZD2171
  * Vatalanib
  * VEGF Trap
* At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent CYP3A4 inhibitors, including any of the following:

  * Ketoconazole
  * Itraconazole
  * Clarithromycin
  * Erythromycin
  * Diltiazem
  * Verapamil
  * HIV protease inhibitors (i.e., indinavir, saquinavir,ritonavir, atazanavir, nelfinavir)
  * Delavirdine
* At least 12 days since prior and no concurrent CYP3A4 inducers, including any of the following:

  * Rifampin
  * Rifabutin
  * Carbamazepine
  * Phenobarbital
  * Phenytoin
  * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
  * Efavirenz
  * Tipranavir
* No other concurrent 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
* No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies
* No concurrent therapeutic doses of coumarin-derivative anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin)

  * Concurrent prophylactic low molecular weight heparin or warfarin at doses ≤ 2 mg daily for thrombosis prophylaxis allowed