Romidepsin in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

You may be eligible if

• Histologically confirmed carcinoid tumor or islet cell neuroendocrine tumor
• * Well- or moderately-differentiated tumor
• Metastatic and/or locally advanced disease
• Measurable disease
• * Unidimensionally measurable lesion at least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• * Lesions in a previously irradiated area are not considered measurable
• * No truly non-measurable lesions, including the following:
• * Bone lesions
• * Leptomeningeal disease
• * Ascites
• * Pleural or pericardial effusion
• * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis
• * Abdominal masses not confirmed and followed by imaging
• * Cystic lesions
• Ineligible for standard treatment
• Performance status - ECOG 0-1
• At least 6 months
• WBC \>= 3,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm\^3
• Bilirubin =\< 1.5 mg/dL
• AST and ALT =\< 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• Creatinine =\< 1.5 mg/dL
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV congestive heart failure
• No myocardial infarction within the past year
• No uncontrolled dysrhythmias
• No poorly controlled angina
• No serious ventricular arrhythmia, defined as ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation \>= 3 beats in a row
• No left ventricular hypertrophy by EKG
• No other significant cardiac disease
• QTc \< 500 msec
• LVEF \> 40% by resting MUGA
• No prior allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to study drug
• No ongoing or active infection
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• No other concurrent uncontrolled illness
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• More than 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy (e.g., interferon alfa)
• More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• More than 12 weeks since prior hepatic artery chemoembolization unless liver lesions are not the only indicator lesions
• No prior FR901228 (depsipeptide)
• No more than 1 prior systemic chemotherapy regimen for carcinoid or islet cell tumor (other than hepatic artery chemoembolization)
• More than 4 weeks since prior oral or IV steroids (first 16 patients only)
• Concurrent long-acting octreotide allowed at standard doses if dose has been stable for the past 12 weeks
• * Concurrent subcutaneous octreotide for breakthrough use for symptomatic relief allowed
• No concurrent systemic steroids (first 16 patients only)
• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• More than 4 weeks since prior investigational tumor-specific therapy
• No other prior histone deacetylase inhibitors (e.g., valproic acid)
• No concurrent hydrochlorothiazide
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No other concurrent investigational or commercial agents or therapies for the malignancy