DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed intracranial malignant glioma, including any of the following subtypes:

  • Glioblastoma multiforme
  • Gliosarcoma
  • Anaplastic astrocytoma
  • Anaplastic oligodendroglioma
  • Anaplastic mixed oligoastrocytoma
  • Malignant astrocytoma, not otherwise specified

• Disease progression after prior treatment with radiotherapy and temozolomide, as evidenced by contrast-enhanced perfusion MRI or CT scan within the past 14 days

  • Steroid dose must be stable for ≥ 5 days
  • Patients who received prior treatment with stereotactic radiosurgery must demonstrate true tumor progression by FDG-PET or magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Karnofsky performance status 60-100%
• Life expectancy > 8 weeks
• Total leukocyte count ≥ 3,000/mm³
• ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• Serum creatinine ≤ 2.0 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• AST and ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Serum calcium ≤ 12.0 mg/dL
• PT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• INR ≤ 1.5
• QTc interval ≤ 500 msec by EKG
• Ejection fraction ≥ 50% by echocardiogram at baseline OR < 20% decrease from a prior echocardiogram
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 3 months after completion of study treatment
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to sunitinib malate
• No other malignancy that has required treatment within the past 12 months and/or is expected to require treatment within the next 12 months, except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 6 months
• No stroke, unstable angina, or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., blood pressure > 150/100 mm Hg) while on antihypertensive medications
• No serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication
• No New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure
• No active infection
• No serious or non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
• No significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days
• No bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy
• No other significant active cardiac, hepatic, renal, or psychiatric disease
• No other significant medical illness that, in the investigator's opinion, cannot be adequately controlled with appropriate therapy or that would compromise the patient's ability to tolerate study therapy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from all prior therapy, including surgery

• Prior recent resection of recurrent or progressive tumor allowed

  • Residual disease after resection of recurrent tumor is not required

• More than 6 weeks since prior bevacizumab

  • Patient must have demonstrated radiographic disease progression during treatment
• No other prior therapy directed against VEGF (e.g., sorafenib, pazopanib, vandetanib, or cediranib)
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• At least 2 weeks since prior investigational agents
• At least 2 weeks since prior vincristine
• At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas
• At least 3 weeks since prior procarbazine
• At least 1 week since prior noncytotoxic agents, (e.g., interferon, tamoxifen, thalidomide, or isotretinoin)
• At least 4 weeks since other prior cytotoxic therapy
• More than 28 days since prior major surgery or open biopsy
• More than 7 days since prior core biopsy

• More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent enzyme-inducing anti-epileptic drugs (EIAEDs), including any of the following:

  • Carbamazepine
  • Oxcarbazepine
  • Phenytoin
  • Fosphenytoin
  • Phenobarbital
  • Primidone

• More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent potent CYP3A4 inhibitors, including any of the following:

  • All HIV protease inhibitors
  • Clarithromycin
  • Fluoxetine
  • Nefazodone
  • Itraconazole
  • Ketoconazole
  • Fluconazole
  • Diltiazem
  • Erythromycin
  • Fluvoxamine
  • Grapefruit juice
  • Mibefradil
  • Verapamil

• More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent potent CYP3A4 inducers, including any of the following:

  • Rifapentine
  • Rifampin
  • St. John's wort
  • Modafinil
• No concurrent anti-coagulation or anti-platelet medication, including aspirin, NSAIDs, or COX-2 inhibitors
• No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No concurrent major surgery
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or investigational agents