S0722: Everolimus in Treating Patients With Pleural Malignant Mesothelioma That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed malignant pleural mesothelioma * Unresectable disease * Must have measurable or nonmeasurable disease by RECIST or modified RECIST criteria * Must have received prior systemically administered\* platinum-based chemotherapy and meets the following criteria: * No more than 2 prior systemic therapeutic regimens allowed (including biologics, targeted, and immunotherapies) * At least 1 regimen must have been platinum-based * Neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant systemic therapy is not counted as a prior regimen, assuming ≥ 12 weeks have elapsed between the end of neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapy and development of progressive disease NOTE: \*Pleural space washing with cisplatin does not constitute systemic administration * No known CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Zubrod performance status 0-1 * ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Serum bilirubin normal * AST or ALT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No evidence of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy * Previous pulmonary embolism allowed provided the patient is on therapeutic low molecular weight heparin injections or warfarin AND no evidence of bleeding * Patients on therapeutic warfarin must have an INR of \< 5 within 28 days prior to registration * No pathologic condition other than mesothelioma that carries a high risk of bleeding * No known HIV positivity * No gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral or enteral medication via a feeding tube or a requirement for IV alimentation, or active peptic ulcer disease * No other prior malignancy allowed except for any of the following: * Adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer * In situ cervical cancer * Adequately treated stage I or II cancer from which the patient is currently in complete remission * Any other cancer from which patient has been disease-free for 5 years PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * Recovered from all prior therapy * At least 28 days since prior systemic therapy (42 days for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) * At least 28 days since prior thoracic or other major surgery (e.g., pleurectomy or pleurodesis) and no anticipated need for major surgical procedures during study * At least 14 days since prior radiotherapy * No prior surgical procedure affecting absorption * No prior chronic, systemic corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive agent, except corticosteroids equivalent to prednisone ≤ 20 mg daily * Must have been on a stable dosage regimen for ≥ 4 weeks * Topical and inhaled corticosteroids allowed * No prior mTOR inhibitor therapy (i.e., rapamycin, everolimus, or temsirolimus) * No concurrent immunization with attenuated live vaccines * No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * No other concurrent investigational therapy * No other concurrent anticancer agents