Imatinib Mesylate in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Persistent Uterine Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: Patients must have histologically confirmed uterine carcinosarcoma that is persistent or recurrent with documented disease progression after appropriate local therapy; acceptable histologic type is defined as carcinosarcoma (malignant mixed Mullerian tumor), homologous or heterologous type All patients must have measurable disease; measurable disease is defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest dimension to be recorded); each lesion must be >= 20 mm when measured by conventional techniques, including palpation, plain x-ray, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or >= 10 mm when measured by spiral CT Patients must have at least one "target lesion" to be used to assess response on this protocol as defined by RECIST; tumors within a previously irradiated field will be designated as "non-target" lesions Patients must not be eligible for a higher priority Gynecological Oncology Group (GOG) protocol, if one exists; in general, this would refer to any active GOG phase III protocol for the same patient population Patients who have received one prior regimen must have a GOG performance status of 0, 1, or 2; patients who have received two prior regimens must have a GOG performance status of 0 or 1 Recovery from effects of recent surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy Patients should be free of active infection requiring antibiotics Any hormonal therapy directed at the malignant tumor must be discontinued at least one week prior to registration; continuation of hormone replacement therapy is permitted Any other prior therapy directed at the malignant tumor, including immunologic agents, must be discontinued at least three weeks prior to registration Patients must have had one prior chemotherapeutic regimen for management of carcinosarcoma; initial treatment may include high-dose therapy, consolidation, or extended therapy administered after surgical or non-surgical assessment Patients are allowed to receive, but are not required to receive, one additional cytotoxic regimen for management of recurrent or persistent disease according to the following definition: Cytotoxic regimens include any agent that targets the genetic and/or mitotic apparatus of dividing cells, resulting in dose-limiting toxicity to the bone marrow and/or gastrointestinal mucosa Note: Patients on this non-cytotoxic study are allowed to receive one additional cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen for management of recurrent or persistent disease, as defined above; however, due to the novel nature of biologic compounds, patients are encouraged to enroll on second-line non-cytotoxic studies prior to receiving additional cytotoxic therapy Patients must have NOT received any non-cytotoxic chemotherapy for management of recurrent or persistent disease Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) greater than or equal to 1,500/mcl, equivalent to CTCAE v3.0 grade 1 Platelets greater than or equal to 100,000/mcl Creatinine less than or equal to 1.5 x institutional upper limit normal (ULN), CTCAE v3.0 grade 1 Bilirubin less than or equal to 1.5 x ULN (CTCAE v3.0 grade 1) Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) less than or equal to 2.5 x ULN (CTCAE v3.0 grade 1) Alkaline phosphatase less than or equal to 2.5 x ULN (CTCAE v3.0 grade 1) Neuropathy (sensory and motor) less than or equal to CTCAE v3.0 grade 1 Patients must have signed an approved informed consent and authorization permitting release of personal health information Patients who have met the pre-entry requirements Patients of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test prior to the study entry and be practicing an effective form of contraception, and cannot be lactating; since interactions with the metabolism of oral contraceptives cannot be excluded, a barrier method of contraception must be used Patients must have tissue blocks from initial diagnosis available for submission to the GOG Tissue Bank Exclusion Criteria: Patients who had previous treatment with Gleevec^TM Patients with other invasive malignancies, with the exception of non-melanoma skin cancer, who had (or have) any evidence of other cancer present within the last 5 years or whose previous cancer treatment contraindicates this protocol therapy Patients with signs or symptoms of bowel dysfunction or obstruction Patients receiving therapeutic anticoagulation with warfarin Patients with deep venous or arterial thrombosis (including pulmonary embolism) within six weeks of study entry Patients receiving therapeutic corticosteroids Patients with active or uncontrolled infection History of seizures or those patients receiving phenytoin, phenobarbital, or carbamazepine Patients with other severe concurrent disease, which the investigator feels may make the patients inappropriate for study entry Presence of clinically apparent central nervous system metastases, or other carcinomatous meningitis History of myocardial infarction within previous six months or congestive heart failure requiring therapy