Imatinib Mesylate, Vatalanib, and Hydroxyurea in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Relapsed Malignant Glioma

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed malignant glioma * Grade 3 or 4 disease * In first, second, or third recurrence or relapse * Multifocal disease allowed PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Karnofsky performance status 70-100% * Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks * Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3 * Potassium normal\* * Total calcium (corrected) normal\* * Magnesium normal\* * Phosphorus normal\* * aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) \< 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Bilirubin \< 1.5 times ULN * Negative proteinuria by dipstick OR total urinary protein ≤ 500 mg with creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min by 24-hour urine collection * Creatinine \< 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No acute or chronic liver or renal disease * left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 45% by Multi Gated Acquisition Scan (MUGA) or echocardiogram * No complete left bundle branch block * No obligate use of a cardiac pacemaker * No congenital long QT syndrome * No history of or current ventricular or atrial tachyarrhythmias * No clinically significant resting bradycardia (i.e., heart rate \< 50 beats/minute) * No right bundle branch block with left anterior hemiblock (bifascicular block) * No uncontrolled hypertension ≥ grade 2, history of labile hypertension, or history of poor compliance with an antihypertensive regimen * No concurrent unstable angina pectoris or angina pectoris within the past 3 months * No congestive heart failure (CHF) * No history of CHF or arrhythmias requiring concurrent digoxin or verapamil * No acute myocardial infarction within the past 3 months * No other impaired cardiac function or clinically significant cardiac disease * No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 * No unresolved diarrhea ≥ grade 2 * No uncontrolled diabetes * No active or uncontrolled infection requiring intravenous antibiotics * No impaired gastrointestinal (GI) function or GI disease that may significantly alter the absorption of vatalanib, hydroxyurea, and/or everolimus, including any of the following: * Ulcerative disease * Uncontrolled nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea * Malabsorption syndrome * Small bowel resection * No other concurrent severe and/or uncontrolled medical condition that would preclude study participation or compliance * No known HIV positivity * No other primary malignancy that is clinically significant or requires active intervention NOTE: \*Supplement allowed PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * More than 2 weeks since prior tumor biopsy (4 weeks since prior surgical resection) * Prior polifeprosan 20 with carmustine implant (Gliadel® wafer) allowed at discretion of principal investigator * Prior hydroxyurea allowed * More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas and 1 week for metronomic-dosed chemotherapy \[e.g., daily etoposide hydrochloride or cyclophosphamide\]) and recovered * More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered * More than 2 weeks since prior immunotherapy and recovered * More than 4 weeks since prior investigational drugs and recovered * No prior platelet-derived growth factor- or vascular endothelial growth factor-directed therapies * More than 2 weeks since prior hematopoietic colony-stimulating factor (e.g., filgrastim \[G-CSF\] or sargramostim \[Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)\]) * Prior epoetin alfa allowed * No concurrent warfarin