Therapeutic Angiotensin-(1-7) in Treating Patients With Metastatic Sarcoma That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

This phase II trial studies how well therapeutic angiotensin-(1-7) works as second-line therapy or third-line therapy in treating patients with metastatic sarcoma that cannot be removed by surgery. Therapeutic angiotensin-(1-7) may stop the growth of sarcoma by blocking blood flow to the tumor.

Funding Source - FDA Office of Orphan Drug Products (OOPD)

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate the response rate of chemotherapy-refractory sarcomas to 20 mg per day of single-agent Ang(Angiotensin)-(1-7) or 10 mg per day of single-agent Ang-(1-7) if excessive toxicity is observed at the 20 mg dose.

II. To evaluate toxicities associated with single-agent Ang-(1-7) when given to patients with chemotherapy-refractory sarcomas.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To assess time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) in patients treated with Ang-(1-7).

II. To evaluate accumulation of Ang-(1-7) after 21 days of continuous treatment and quantify changes in plasma levels of angiogenic peptides including placental growth factor (PlGF).

OUTLINE:

Patients receive therapeutic angiotensin-(1-7) subcutaneously (SC) once daily in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 3 years, and then annually thereafter.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients must have a histologically or cytologically confirmed sarcoma that is metastatic or unresectable and have progressed despite 1 or 2 prior treatment regimens with chemotherapy or targeted anti-cancer agents such as imatinib
* Prior treatment: \>= 4 weeks since completion of radiation or chemotherapy, except for \>= 6 weeks for Melphalan, nitrosoureas, or mitomycin-C
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status =\< 2
* Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/Microliter (mcL)
* Platelets \>= 100,000/mcL
* Total bilirubin =\< 2 mg/dL
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase \[SGPT\]) \< 3 X upper limit or normal (ULN)
* Estimated (est.) creatinine clearance \> 30 mL/min
* Measurable disease, defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension as \> 10 mm
* Women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or double-barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation; should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately
* Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients may not be receiving any other investigational agents for cancer treatment
* Patients with evidence of bleeding diathesis are ineligible
* No concurrent treatment with angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
* Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, uncontrolled hypertension or hypotension, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
* Pregnant and nursing women are excluded from this study