Inclusion Criteria:

- Histologically confirmed malignant mesothelioma that is not amenable to curative
surgery or radiotherapy

- Epithelial, sarcomatoid, or mixed subtype

- Any site of origin (including, but not limited to, the pleura, peritoneum,
pericardium, or tunica vaginalis) allowed

- Measurable disease, defined as lesions that can be accurately measured in at least 1
dimension (longest diameter) as at least 20 mm with conventional techniques or at
least 10 mm with spiral CT scan

- Must be outside prior radiation port

- Lesions not considered measurable include the following:

- Bone lesions

- Leptomeningeal disease

- Ascites

- Pleural/pericardial effusion

- Inflammatory breast disease

- Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis

- Abdominal masses not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques

- Cystic lesions

- No known brain metastases

- Performance status - CTC 0-1

- Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

- Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- SGOT no greater than 2.5 times ULN

- Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN

- No symptomatic congestive heart failure

- No unstable angina pectoris

- No cardiac arrhythmia

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No other concurrent active malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer

- Disease considered not currently active if completely treated with less than a
30% risk for relapse

- No other concurrent uncontrolled illness

- No ongoing or active infection

- No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance

- No prior epidermal growth factor receptor-inhibitor therapy

- Prior intrapleural cytotoxic or sclerosing agents (including bleomycin) allowed

- No prior systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy for malignant mesothelioma

- No concurrent chemotherapy

- At least 1 week since prior CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., dexamethasone, glucocorticoids,
progesterone)

- No concurrent CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., dexamethasone)

- No concurrent hormonal therapy (e.g., tamoxifen) except steroids for adrenal failure
or hormones for non disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy

- No concurrent radiotherapy, including for palliation

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 2 weeks since prior major surgery

- At least 1 week since other prior CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., carbamazepine, ethosuximide,
griseofulvin, nafcillin, nelfinavir mesylate, nevirapine, oxcarbazepine,
phenobarbital, phenylbutazone, phenytoin, primidone, rifabutin, rifampin, rofecoxib,
St. John's Wort, sulfadimidine, sulfinpyrazone, or troglitazone)

- No other concurrent CYP3A4 inducers

- No concurrent CYP3A4 substrates or inhibitors

- No other concurrent investigational agent

- No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients

- No concurrent chlorpromazine, amiodarone, or chloroquine