Saracatinib in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Thymoma or Thymic Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically confirmed invasive thymoma or thymic carcinoma, meeting the following criteria:

  * Relapsed or refractory disease
  * Metastatic, unresectable disease
  * Locally invasive disease allowed provided it is not resectable and has been previously treated
  * Progressive disease
* Measurable disease, defined as \>= 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion \>= 20 mm by conventional techniques or \>= 10 mm by spiral CT scan
* Must have received \>= 1 prior chemotherapy regimen
* No active brain metastases
* Patients with previously treated brain metastases (surgical resection or radiotherapy) are eligible provided they have documented stable brain disease for \>= 1 month after completion of therapy and are asymptomatic
* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Leukocytes \>= 3,000/mm\^3
* ANC \>= 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL
* Serum bilirubin \< 2.0 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Transaminases =\< 2.5 times ULN (\< 5.0 times ULN if liver metastasis is present)
* Serum creatinine \< 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min
* Urine protein:creatinine ratio \< 0.5 OR urine protein \< 1,000 mg by 24-hour urine collection
* QTc \< 460 msec
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 30 days after completion of study treatment
* No known history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to AZD0530
* No other malignancies within the past 3 years, except curatively treated in situ carcinoma of the cervix or completely resected nonmelanoma skin cancer
* No concurrent active malignancies other than thymic malignancy
* No condition that impairs the ability to swallow AZD0350 tablets (e.g., gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication or a requirement for IV alimentation, prior surgical procedures affecting absorption, or active peptic ulcer disease)
* No cardiac dysfunction including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  * Unstable angina pectoris
  * Cardiac arrhythmia
  * History of ischemic heart disease
  * Myocardial infarction within the past year
  * No QTc prolongation or other significant ECG abnormalities
  * No poorly controlled hypertension (i.e., systolic blood pressure \[BP\] ≥ 150 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥ 95 mm Hg)
* No evidence of severe or uncontrolled systemic conditions that would make it undesirable to participate in the study or that would jeopardize compliance with the study, including any of the following:

  * Severe hepatic impairment
  * Interstitial lung disease (bilateral, diffuse, or parenchymal lung disease)
  * Unstable or uncompensated respiratory condition
  * Unstable or uncompensated cardiac condition
* No uncontrolled illness including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Ongoing or active infection
  * Mental health issues or social circumstances that would limit compliance with study requirements
* No prior src inhibitors
* At least 4 weeks since prior systemic therapy (6 weeks for carmustine or mitomycin C)
* At least 8 weeks since prior immunotherapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior octreotide
* Concurrent octreotide for pure red cell aplasia allowed provided patient continues on the same dose and schedule, has had a response to this drug, and has demonstrated progressive thymoma by radiography or physical exam
* At least 4 weeks since prior surgery and recovered
* At least 4 weeks since prior investigational agents
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to measurable disease sites (2 weeks for palliative radiotherapy to metastatic sites) and recovered
* At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent active CYP3A4 agents or substances
* No other concurrent investigational or anticancer agents
* No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* Concurrent steroids allowed for treatment of a pre-existing autoimmune disorder or as antiemetic therapy