Nelfinavir Mesylate in Treating Patients With Recurrent, Metastatic, or Unresectable Liposarcoma

OBJECTIVES: I. To assess the toxicity and tolerance of nelfinavir in patients with liposarcoma. II. To define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of nelfinavir when given daily as a single agent and to describe the toxicities at each does studied. III. To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of nelfinavir. IV. To assess the response rate and progression free survival in patients with liposarcoma treated with nelfinavir. V. To evaluate the expression and activity of certain proteins in the tumors of patients entered on this study, which may be important to the cytotoxicity of nelfinavir (SREBP-1, p21, NFkB (NFkappaB), caspase 3). OUTLINE: This is a phase I, dose-escalation study followed by a phase II study. Patients receive oral nelfinavir mesylate twice daily on days 1-28. Courses repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.