Interferon Alfa-2b With or Without Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically proven previously untreated metastatic or unresectable renal cell carcinoma

  * Retroperitoneal lymph nodes that are unresectable or those that are not resected at the investigator's discretion are considered metastatic disease
  * Prior nephrectomy allowed provided there is evidence of unresponsive metastatic disease after surgery or within one month prior to study enrollment
* Bidimensionally measurable disease

  * Measurable disease must be outside any prior radiotherapy port
* No history of brain metastases unless surgically resected or treated with gamma knife radiotherapy and currently without radiologic evidence of CNS disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
* SGOT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
* Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use 2 effective methods of contraception (1 highly active method and 1 barrier method) for at least 4 weeks before, during, and for at least 4 weeks after study participation
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
* No uncontrolled diabetes or any other concurrent illnesses that would increase risk
* No history of peripheral neuropathy
* No severe depression

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* No prior immunotherapy (including adjuvant interferon alfa therapy), cellular therapy, or vaccine therapy for renal cell carcinoma
* No prior antiangiogenesis therapy for renal cell carcinoma
* Immunotherapy for prior malignancy allowed (except for interferon alfa therapy)

Chemotherapy:

* No prior chemotherapy for renal cell carcinoma
* Chemotherapy for prior malignancy allowed

Endocrine therapy:

* No prior hormonal therapy for renal cell carcinoma

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics

Other:

* More than 7 days since prior IV antibiotics for infection