Sunitinib in Treating Patients With Recurrent and/or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer

You may be eligible if

• Criteria:
• Hemoglobin \>= 9 g/dL
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck:
• * Recurrent and/or metastatic disease
• Measurable disease, defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded) as \>= 20 mm with conventional techniques OR as \>= 10 mm with spiral CT scan
• No known brain metastases
• Life expectancy \>= 2 months
• ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 or Karnofsky PS 70-100% (for patients in cohort A)
• ECOG PS 2 or Karnofsky PS 60-70% (for patients in cohort B)
• WBC \>= 3,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm\^3
• Calcium =\< 12.0 mg/dL
• Bilirubin normal
• AST and ALT =\< 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance \>= 60 mL/min
• QTc \< 500 msec
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure:
• * Patients with the following are eligible provided they have New York Heart Association class II cardiac function on baseline ECHO/MUGA:
• * History of class II heart failure and asymptomatic on treatment
• * Prior anthracycline exposure
• * Prior central thoracic radiation that included the heart in the radiotherapy port
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No history of allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to sunitinib malate
• No history of serious ventricular arrhythmia (i.e., ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia \>= 3 beats in a row)
• No history of other significant ECG abnormalities
• No uncontrolled hypertension (defined as systolic blood pressure \[BP\] \>= 140 mm Hg or diastolic BP \>= 90 mm Hg)
• No condition resulting in an inability to take oral medication, including any of the following:
• * Gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication or a requirement for IV alimentation
• * Active peptic ulcer disease
• No gastrostomy, jejunostomy, or other forms of enteral tube-feeding modalities
• No serious or nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
• No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 28 days
• No cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attack within the past 12 months
• No myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmia, stable/unstable angina, symptomatic congestive heart failure, or coronary/peripheral artery bypass graft or stenting within the past 12 months
• No pulmonary embolism within the past 12 months
• No pre-existing uncontrolled thyroid abnormality (i.e., inability to maintain thyroid function within the normal range with medication)
• No uncontrolled intercurrent illness, including either of the following:
• * Ongoing or active infection
• * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study requirement
• No more than two prior regimens for recurrent or metastatic disease:
• * Prior chemotherapy as part of initial curative intent therapy (e.g., neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or concurrent chemoradiotherapy) is allowed and will not count as prior therapy for recurrent or metastatic disease
• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) and recovered
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No prior treatment with any other antiangiogenic agent (e.g., bevacizumab, sorafenib, pazopanib, AZD2171, vatalanib, or VEGF Trap)
• No prior surgical procedure affecting absorption
• At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent use of CYP3A4 inhibitors, including any of the following:
• * Azole antifungals (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole)
• * Verapamil
• * Clarithromycin
• * HIV protease inhibitors (e.g., indinavir, saquinavir, ritonavir, atazanavir, nelfinavir)
• * Erythromycin
• * Delavirdine
• * Diltiazem
• At least 12 days since prior and no concurrent CYP3A4 inducers, including any of the following:
• * Rifampin
• * Phenytoin
• * Rifabutin
• * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
• * Carbamazepine
• * Efavirenz
• * Phenobarbital
• * Tipranavir
• No concurrent therapeutic doses of coumarin-derivative anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin):
• Concurrent dosing of =\< 2 mg of warfarin daily for prophylaxis of thrombosis is allowed; Concurrent low molecular weight heparin allowed provided prothrombin time INR is =\< 1.5
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No concurrent agents with proarrhythmic potential, including any of the following:
• * Terfenadine
• * Quinidine
• * Procainamide
• * Disopyramide
• * Sotalol
• * Probucol
• * Bepridil
• * Haloperidol
• * Risperidone
• * Indapamide
• * Flecainide
• No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients