DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed meningioma, including the following subtypes:

  • Benign meningioma

  • Malignant meningioma

    • Steroid dosage stable for ≥ 5 days
  • Atypical meningiomas
  • Hemangiopericytoma

• May or may not have neurofibromatosis (NF) type 1 or 2 disease

  • Patients with a history of NF may have other stable CNS tumors, such as schwannoma, acoustic neuroma, or ependymoma only if those lesions have been stable for the past 6 months

• Progressive or recurrent disease by MRI or CT scan

  • Prior radiotherapy allowed provided evidence of disease progression is documented by positron emission tomography, thallium scanning, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, or surgery to rule out radiation necrosis for patients treated with radiosurgery

• Recent resection of recurrent or progressive tumor allowed provided both of the following criteria are met:

  • At least 4 weeks since prior surgery and recovered
  • Evaluable residual disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Karnofsky performance status 60-100%
• Life expectancy > 12 weeks
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 2,000/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• SGOT and SGPT < 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Creatinine < 1.5 mg/dL
• Negative proteinuria dipstick OR total urinary protein ≤ 500 mg AND creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min
• PT, INR, and PTT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for up to 6 months after completion of study treatment
• No history of any other cancer except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix, unless in complete remission and off all therapy for that disease for ≥ 3 years
• No disease that would obscure toxicity or dangerously alter drug metabolism
• No bleeding disorders

• No severe and/or uncontrolled medical conditions that would limit compliance with study requirements, including any of the following:

  • Uncontrolled high blood pressure
  • History of labile hypertension
  • History of poor compliance with an antihypertensive regimen
  • Unstable angina pectoris
  • Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  • Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  • Serious uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia
  • Uncontrolled diabetes
  • Active or uncontrolled infection
  • Interstitial pneumonia or extensive and symptomatic interstitial fibrosis of the lung
  • Impairment of gastrointestinal (GI) function or GI disease that may significantly alter the absorption of vatalanib (i.e., ulcerative disease, uncontrolled nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, malabsorption syndrome, bowel obstruction, or inability to swallow tablets)
  • QTc > 450 (male) or > 470 (female)
  • Congenital or acquired long QTc syndrome

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior therapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy, including external-beam radiotherapy, interstitial brachytherapy, or gamma-knife radiosurgery
• At least 4 weeks since prior investigational agents
• More than 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic therapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas)
• More than 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy
• More than 2 weeks since prior noncytotoxic or biologic therapies
• At least 2 weeks since prior drugs that affect hepatic metabolism (steroids should be tapered off if not clinically indicated)
• At least 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent enzyme-inducing anticonvulsant drugs
• No prior antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy
• No other concurrent investigational agents or anticancer therapy (including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy, or immunotherapy)
• No concurrent warfarin
• No concurrent grapefruit or grapefruit juice