Sorafenib in Treating Patients With Persistent or Recurrent Ovarian Epithelial or Peritoneal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial or primary peritoneal carcinoma

  * Persistent or recurrent disease
* Measurable or evaluable disease

  * Measurable disease is defined as at least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques (including palpation, plain x-ray, CT scan, or MRI) OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
  * Evaluable disease is defined as at least 1 of the following:

    * CA 125 ≥ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
    * Ascites and/or pleural effusion attributed to tumor
    * Solid and/or cystic abnormalities on radiographic imaging that do not meet RECIST definition for target lesions
* Must have received 1 prior platinum-based chemotherapeutic regimen for primary disease, including carboplatin, cisplatin, or another organoplatinum compound

  * Initial treatment may have included high-dose therapy, consolidation, or extended therapy administered after surgical or non-surgical assessment
  * Platinum-resistant according to 1 of the following criteria:

    * Treatment-free interval of \< 12 months after platinum therapy
    * Disease progression during platinum-based therapy
    * Persistent disease after a platinum-based regimen
* Ineligible for higher priority GOG protocol (e.g., any active phase III GOG protocol for the same patient population)
* No brain metastases
* Performance status - GOG 0-2 (for patients who received 1 prior treatment regimen)
* Performance status - GOG 0-1 (for patients who received 2 prior treatment regimens)
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* No known bleeding diathesis
* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* SGOT ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No unstable angina pectoris
* No cardiac arrhythmia
* No uncontrolled hypertension
* Able to take oral medication
* No bowel obstruction or persistent vomiting
* No requirement for parenteral feedings
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception during and for 3 months after study participation
* No sensory or motor neuropathy \> grade 1
* No active or ongoing infection requiring antibiotics
* No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to sorafenib
* No serious chronic skin conditions (i.e., psoriasis or dermatitis) that would preclude study participation
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
* No other uncontrolled illness
* No other invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer
* At least 3 weeks since prior immunologic agents for the malignancy
* More than 4 weeks since prior mouse antibodies (for patients with evaluable disease only)
* No concurrent prophylactic growth factors (e.g., filgrastim \[G-CSF\])
* No concurrent prophylactic thrombopoietic agents except in the case of recurrent grade 4 thrombocytopenia
* No other concurrent biological agents for the primary tumor
* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
* No prior non-cytotoxic chemotherapy for persistent or recurrent disease
* No concurrent chemotherapy for the primary tumor
* At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy for the malignancy
* No concurrent hormonal therapy for the primary tumor

  * Concurrent hormone replacement therapy allowed
* More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* No prior radiotherapy to \> 25% of marrow-bearing areas
* No concurrent radiotherapy
* More than 4 weeks since prior surgery involving the peritoneum or pleura (for patients with evaluable disease only)
* Recovered from prior surgery
* At least 3 weeks since other prior therapy for the malignancy
* No more than 1 additional prior cytotoxic regimen for persistent or recurrent disease
* No prior sorafenib
* No prior anticancer treatment that would preclude study participation
* No concurrent therapeutic oral anticoagulation therapy (i.e., warfarin)

  * Concurrent prophylactic anticoagulation (i.e., low-dose warfarin) for central venous access devices allowed provided INR is \< 1.5
* No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* No other concurrent investigational or commercial agents or therapies for the malignancy