Pazopanib Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Stage IV or Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma, meeting the following criteria:

  * World Health Organization (WHO) type II-III disease
  * Stage IV or recurrent disease
* Must have failed at least 1 prior line of chemotherapy for metastatic or recurrent disease
* Measurable disease, defined as \>= 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion \>= 20 mm by conventional techniques OR \>= 10 mm by spiral CT scan
* No known brain metastases
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0-2 or Karnofsky PS 70-100%
* Life expectancy \> 3 months
* WBC \>= 3,000/mm³
* Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm³
* Bilirubin normal
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) =\< 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance \>= 60 mL/min
* Proteinuria =\< 1+ on 2 consecutive dipsticks taken \>= 1 week apart
* Prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) =\< 1.2 times ULN
* Systolic blood pressure (BP) =\< 140 mm Hg and diastolic BP =\< 90 mm Hg

  * Initiation or adjustment of BP medication allowed provided the average of 3 BP readings are \< 140/90 mm Hg prior to study entry
* No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to pazopanib hydrochloride or to other study agents
* No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 28 days
* No cerebrovascular accident within the past 6 months
* No history of any of the following diseases within the past 12 weeks:

  * Myocardial infarction
  * Cardiac arrhythmia
  * Admission for unstable angina
  * Cardiac angioplasty or stenting
  * Venous thrombosis
* No New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III-IV heart failure

  * Patients with a history of NYHA class II heart failure are eligible provided they are asymptomatic on treatment
* No significant electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities, including QTc prolongation (i.e., QTc \>= 500 msec)
* No serious or non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
* No condition that would impair the ability to swallow and retain pazopanib hydrochloride, including any of the following:

  * Gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication
  * Requirement for IV alimentation
  * Prior surgical procedures affecting absorption
  * Active peptic ulcer disease
* No concurrent uncontrolled illness including, but not limited to, the following:

  * Coagulopathy
  * Ongoing or active infection
  * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
* No known allergy to CT contrast agents
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) and recovered
* More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior surgery
* No prior antiangiogenesis therapy
* No other concurrent investigational agents
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy
* No concurrent medications or substances known to affect or with the potential to affect the activity or pharmacokinetics of pazopanib hydrochloride, as determined by the Principal Investigator
* No concurrent medications that have the potential to interact with the cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes CYP2C9 and CYP3A4
* No concurrent therapeutic warfarin

  * Low molecular weight heparin or prophylactic low-dose warfarin allowed
* No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients