Interferon Alfa-2b With or Without Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (Kidney Cancer)

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma (RCC)

  * Conventional clear cell carcinoma
  * Metastatic or unresectable disease
* The following characteristics and cellular types are excluded:

  * True papillary
  * Sarcomatoid features without a clear cell component
  * Chromophobe
  * Oncocytoma
  * Collecting duct tumor
  * Transitional cell carcinoma
* Measurable or nonmeasurable disease, including any of the following:

  * Unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques (e.g., physical exam or chest x-ray) OR 10 mm by spiral CT scan or MRI
  * The following are considered nonmeasurable disease:

    * Small lesions
    * Bone lesions
    * Leptomeningeal disease
    * Ascites
    * Pleural/pericardial effusion
    * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis
    * Abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques
    * Cystic lesions
    * Irradiated lesions, unless progression is documented after radiotherapy
* RCC paraffin tissue blocks or unstained slides must be available
* No evidence of prior or concurrent CNS metastases by MRI or CT scan

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy

* Not specified

Hematopoietic

* Granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* No history of clinically significant bleeding

Hepatic

* AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Renal

* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* No proteinuria \> 1+

  * Proteinuria ≥ 2+ allowed provided protein is \< 2 g/24-hour urine collection

Cardiovascular

* No deep venous thrombosis within the past year
* No cerebrovascular accident within the past year
* No peripheral vascular disease with claudication on \< 1 block
* No uncontrolled hypertension defined as blood pressure ≥160 mm Hg (systolic) and/or ≥ 90 mm Hg (diastolic) while on medication
* No New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure
* No angina pectoris requiring nitrate therapy
* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
* No other significant cardiovascular disease

Pulmonary

* No pulmonary embolus within the past year
* No ongoing hemoptysis

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study treatment
* No preexisting thyroid abnormality in which normal thyroid function cannot be maintained by medication
* No delayed wound healing, ulcers, or bone fractures
* No uncontrolled psychiatric disorder
* No other currently active\* malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer NOTE: \*Disease is not considered currently active if patient completed anticancer therapy and is considered to have \< 30% risk of relapse

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* No prior systemic immunotherapy for RCC
* No prior thalidomide, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy, VEGF receptor inhibitors, or antiangiogenic treatment of any kind
* No concurrent prophylactic filgrastim (G-CSF) or sargramostim (GM-CSF)

Chemotherapy

* No prior systemic chemotherapy for RCC
* No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

* No concurrent systemic corticosteroid therapy except the following:

  * Topical and inhaled steroids
  * Replacement therapy for adrenal insufficiency
* No concurrent hormones except those administered for nondisease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)

Radiotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* Prior palliative radiotherapy to metastatic lesions allowed provided at least 1 measurable or nonmeasurable lesion remains untreated
* No concurrent palliative radiotherapy

Surgery

* At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered

Other

* No other prior systemic investigational therapy for RCC
* No other prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant systemic therapy for RCC
* No concurrent full-dose oral or parenteral anticoagulation\* NOTE: \*Low-dose (1 mg) warfarin for maintenance of catheter patency and/or daily prophylactic aspirin is allowed