S0330 Erlotinib in Treating Patients With Unresectable or Metastatic Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor
• * Malignant schwannoma or neurofibrosarcoma
• * Clinical evidence of unresectable or metastatic disease
• Measurable disease
• No known current CNS metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• Zubrod 0-2
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT or SGPT less than 1.5 times ULN (5 times ULN for patients with documented liver metastases)
• Renal
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min
• Ophthalmic
• No known history of any of the following corneal diseases:
• * Dry eye syndrome
• * Sjögren's syndrome
• * Keratoconjunctivitis sicca
• * Exposure keratopathy
• * Fuch's dystrophy
• No other active disorders of the cornea
• Gastrointestinal
• No gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication or a requirement for IV alimentation
• No active peptic ulcer disease
• No intractable nausea or vomiting
• Able to swallow medications OR receive enteral medications via gastrostomy feeding tube
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer currently in complete remission
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• More than 28 days since prior biologic therapy for this malignancy
• Chemotherapy
• More than 28 days since prior chemotherapy for this malignancy
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• More than 60 days since prior radiotherapy to the target lesion with subsequent documented progression
• More than 60 days since prior radiofrequency ablation to the target lesion with subsequent documented progression
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery
• At least 3 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered
• No prior surgical procedure affecting absorption
• Other
• More than 28 days since prior investigational drugs for this malignancy
• More than 60 days since prior embolization to the target lesion with subsequent documented progression
• No prior epidermal growth factor receptor-targeting therapy
• No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No other concurrent investigational or commercial agents or therapies for the malignancy