Sunitinib in Sarcomas of the Central Nervous System

* INCLUSION CRITERIA:
* Patients must have histologically confirmed gliosarcoma (primary or secondary) or primary central nervous system sarcoma confirmed by the Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute (NCI).
* Patients must have measurable disease, defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured bi-dimensionally by MRI (or computed tomography (CT) scan if magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is contraindicated).
* Patients must have failed standard therapy consisting of surgery, irradiation, and chemotherapy if indicated.
* Age greater than or equal to 18 years.
* Karnofsky greater than or equal to 60%.
* Patients must have normal organ and marrow function as defined below:

  * leukocytes greater than or equal to 3,000/mcL
  * absolute neutrophil count greater than or equal to 1,500/mcL
  * platelets greater than or equal to 100,000/mcL
  * total bilirubin within normal institutional limits
  * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT)/Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) less than or equal to 2.5 times institutional upper limit of normal
  * creatinine within normal institutional limits OR creatinine clearance greater than or equal to 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) for patients with

creatinine levels above institutional normal.

* Patients must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document indicating that they are aware of the investigational nature of this study.
* The effects of sunitinib on the developing human fetus are unknown. For this reason and because anti-angiogenic agents are known to be teratogenic, women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while she or her partner is participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately.
* Tumor tissue blocks or at least 10-15 unstained slides from the diagnosis should be available.
* At the time of registration, all subjects must be removed greater than or equal to 28 days from any investigational agents.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

* Patients who are receiving any other investigational agents.
* Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.
* Prior use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibition.
* Patients who are receiving strong cytochromes P450 (CYP450) inducers or inhibitors are ineligible.
* Pregnant women are excluded from this study because sunitinib has potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with sunitinib, breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with sunitinib.
* Patients with known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) history on combination antiretroviral therapy are ineligible because of the potential for pharmacokinetic interactions with sunitinib. In addition, these patients are at increased risk of lethal infections when treated with marrow-suppressive therapy.
* Uncontrolled hypertension (\> 150/100 mm hemoglobin (Hg) while on antihypertensive medications.
* New York Heart Association class II or greater congestive heart failure.
* Serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication.
* Baseline echocardiogram with ejection fraction \< 50% or greater than or equal to 20% decrease from a prior study.
* Corrected QT interval (QTc) \> 500 msec on baseline electrocardiogram (EKG)
* Patients who require use of therapeutic doses of coumarin-derivative anticoagulants such as warfarin are excluded, although doses of up to 2 mg daily are permitted for prophylaxis of thrombosis. Note: Low molecular weight heparin is permitted provided the patient's international normalized ratio (INR) is less than or equal to 1.5.
* Previous exposure to anthracyclines.