DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed glioblastoma multiforme or gliosarcoma

  • Pre-therapy tumor tissue available

• Meets 1 of the following criteria:

  • Patients accrued to stage 1 (closed to accrual as of 4/14/2009) or stage 1B (opened to accrual as of 4/14/2009) must have tumors overexpressing at least 2 known dasatinib targets (i.e., SRC, KIT, PDGFR, or EPHA2)
  • Patients accrued to stage 2 (closed as of 4/14/2009) do not require overexpression of SRC, KIT, PDGFR, or EPHA2
• Prior treatment with radiotherapy and temozolomide required

• Radiographic evidence of tumor progression by MRI or CT scan

  • Must be on stable or decreasing doses of corticosteroids for at least 5 days before baseline MRI or CT scan

• Measurable disease is not required in patients who recently underwent resection provided the following conditions are met as applicable:

  • Progression of disease necessitated surgery
  • Polifeprosan 20 with carmustine implants (Gliadel wafers®) were not placed during the most recent surgery
  • Neither convection-enhanced delivery nor catheters for infusion of chemotherapy were used during the most recent surgery
  • Radioactive seeds were not placed during the most recent surgery
  • The histology of the most recent surgery documented recurrent/persistent/progressive malignant glioma

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Karnofsky performance status 60-100%
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000 cells/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 75,000 cells/mm³
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• WBC ≥ 3,000 cells/mm³
• Absolute lymphocyte count ≥ 500 cells/mm³
• Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Creatinine ≤ 3 times ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No prior invasive malignancy except for nonmelanomatous skin cancer unless disease-free for a minimum of 3 years

• No severe active comorbidity, defined as any of the following:

  • Clinically significant cardiovascular disease, including any of the following:

    • Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the past 6 months
    • Transmural myocardial infarction or ventricular tachyarrhythmia within the past 6 months
    • Prolonged QTc > 480 msec (by Fridericia's correction)
    • Ejection fraction less than institutional normal
    • Major conduction abnormality (unless a cardiac pacemaker is present)
  • Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring IV antibiotics
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization
• No known AIDS
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to dasatinib

• No condition that impairs the ability to swallow or retain tablets, such as the following:

  • Gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication or a requirement for IV alimentation
  • Prior surgical procedures affecting absorption
  • Active peptic ulcer disease

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics

• Prior surgery for recurrent/progressive disease allowed

  • Recovered from prior surgery
• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• More than 2 weeks since prior temozolomide and recovered
• More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs
• No prior therapy except radiotherapy and temozolomide
• No prior stereotactic radiosurgery or brachytherapy
• At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent potent inhibitors of CYP3A4
• At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent agents with proarrhythmic potential
• At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent antithrombotic and/or antiplatelet agents (e.g., warfarin, heparin, low molecular weight heparin, acetylsalicyclic acid, clopidogrel, ticlopidine, or Aggrenox)
• No locally acting antacids (Maalox, Mylanta) within 2 hours before or after study treatment
• No concurrent systemic antacids, including H2 receptor antagonist or proton pump inhibitors
• No concurrent ibuprofen or NSAIDs
• No concurrent large quantities of grapefruit or its juice
• No concurrent potent inducers of CYP3A4
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies