Iodine I 131 and Pazopanib Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Recurrent and/or Metastatic Thyroid Cancer Previously Treated With Iodine I 131 That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

Subjects must provide written informed consent prior to performance of study-specific procedures or assessments, and must be willing to comply with treatment and follow up; procedures conducted as part of the subject's routine clinical management (e.g., blood count, imaging study) and obtained prior to signing of informed consent may be utilized for screening or baseline purposes provided these procedures are conducted as specified in the protocol

Histologically confirmed diagnosis of well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (WDTC), including papillary and follicular subtypes, and documented recurrent and/or metastatic disease; patients must have unresectable disease: patients must not be amenable to surgery but prior thyroidectomy is allowed

Patient must have demonstrated evidence of disease progression by RECIST criteria using site assessment of computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans within 12 months (+1 month to allow for variances in patient scanning intervals) prior to study entry or by \> 50% increase in suppressed thyroglobulin levels during this time period

Patients with WDTC must be relatively 131I refractory/resistant as defined by at least one of the following:

* One or more measurable lesions with low or absent 131I uptake on the most recent pre-study radioiodine scans, based on a visual review of scans or RAI scan reports

* One or more measurable lesions with disease progression by RECIST within 12 months (+ 1 month to allow for variances in patient scanning intervals) of 131I therapy despite 131I uptake on RAI scan, based on site assessment of CT/MRI scans or by \> 50% increase in suppressed thyroglobulin levels during this time period

* Evidence of at least one site of known disease with preserved 131I uptake above background levels on a diagnostic post-therapy 131I scan prior to study entry

* Patients with WDTC must be receiving thyroxine suppression therapy and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) should not be elevated (TSH should be =\< 5.50 mcu/mL)

Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-2

Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1.5 X 10\^9/L

Hemoglobin \>= 9 g/dL (5.6 mmol/L)

Platelets \>= 90 X 10\^9/L

Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) =\<1.2 X ULN

Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 X ULN

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) =\< 2.5 X ULN, and \< 5 X ULN in the presence of liver metastases; concomitant elevations in bilirubin and AST/ALT above 1.5 x ULN are not permitted

Serum creatinine =\< 2.0 mg/dL or, if serum creatinine \> 2.0 mg/dL, calculate creatinine clearance (CLCR) \>= 30 mL/min

Urine protein to creatinine ratio (UPC) \< 1 or, 24-hour urine protein \< 1 g; if UPC \>= 1, then a 24-hour urine protein must be assessed; subjects must have a 24-hour urine protein value \< 1 g to be eligible; use of urine dipstick for renal function assessment is not acceptable

Non-childbearing potential (i.e., physiologically incapable of becoming pregnant), including any female who has had:

* A hysterectomy

* A bilateral oophorectomy (ovariectomy); a bilateral tubal ligation

* Is post-menopausal (subjects not using hormone replacement therapy \[HRT\] must have experienced total cessation of menses for \>= 1 year and be greater than 45 years in age, OR, in questionable cases, have a follicle stimulating hormone \[FSH\] value \> 40 mIU/mL and an estradiol value \< 40pg/mL \[\< 140 pmol/L\]; subjects using HRT must have experienced total cessation of menses for \>= 1 year and be greater than 45 years of age OR have had documented evidence of menopause based on FSH and estradiol concentrations prior to initiation of HRT)

Childbearing potential, including any female who has had a negative serum pregnancy test within 2 weeks prior to the first dose of study treatment, preferably as close to the first dose as possible, and agrees to use adequate contraception for at least 2 weeks following the last dose of the investigational product

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) acceptable contraceptive methods, when used consistently and in accordance with both the product label and the instructions of the physician, are as follow:

* Complete abstinence from sexual intercourse for 14 days before exposure to investigational product, through the dosing period, and for at least 21 days after the last dose of investigational product

* Oral contraceptive, either combined or progestogen alone

* Injectable progestogen

* Implants of levonorgestrel

* Estrogenic vaginal ring

* Percutaneous contraceptive patches

* Intrauterine device (IUD) or intrauterine system (IUS) with a documented failure rate of less than 1% per year

* Male partner sterilization (vasectomy with documentation of azoospermia) prior to the female subject's entry into the study, and this male is the sole partner for that subject

* Double barrier method: condom and an occlusive cap (diaphragm or cervical/vault caps) with a vaginal spermicidal agent (foam/gel/film/cream/suppository)

Female subjects who are lactating should discontinue nursing prior to the first dose of study drug and should refrain from nursing throughout the treatment period and for 14 days following the last dose of study drug

What this study is about