Bevacizumab and Erlotinib Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Biliary Tumors

Criteria:

* Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/mm3
* Histologically or cytologically confirmed cholangiocarcinoma or gallbladder carcinoma:

  * Metastatic or surgically unresectable disease
* Measurable disease, defined as \>= 1 lesion whose longest diameter can be accurately measured as \>= 2.0 cm with conventional techniques or as \> 1.0 cm with spiral CT scan:

  * Spiral CT scan imaging must be used for pre- and post-treatment tumor measurements of lesions measuring \>= 1.0 cm to \< 2.0 cm
* Clinical lesions will only be considered measurable when they are superficial

  * Lesions on chest x-ray are acceptable as measurable lesions when they are clearly defined and surrounded by aerated lung
* No ampulla of Vater tumors
* No evidence of CNS disease
* Life expectancy \>= 3 months
* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Platelet count \>= 75,000/mm3
* Total bilirubin =\< 2 times ULN
* ALT and AST =\< 2.5 times ULN
* Creatinine =\< 2 mg/dL
* Albumin \>= 2.5 g/dL
* Alkaline phosphatase =\< 5 times ULN
* Urine protein:creatinine ratio \< 1.0 OR 24-hour urine protein \< 1000 mg
* No concurrent illness or medical condition, including any of the following:

  * Impairment of gastrointestinal (GI) function or disease that may significantly alter the absorption of erlotinib hydrochloride
  * Requirement for IV alimentation
* No concurrent illness or medical condition, including any of the following:

  * Active peptic ulcer disease;
  * Serious or nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture;
  * GI bleed that required procedural intervention within the past 3 months
* No concurrent illness or medical condition, including any of the following:

  * Abdominal fistula, GI perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 28 days
  * Ongoing or active infection
  * Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit study compliance
* No other malignancy within the past 3 years
* No abnormalities of the cornea
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No clinically significant cardiovascular disease
* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) and recovered
* No significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days
* No prior systemic anticancer therapy for metastatic gallbladder or bile duct cancer
* More than 28 days since prior major surgery \[Note: Insertion of a vascular access device is not considered major/minor surgery\]
* More than 2 weeks since prior minor surgery \[Note: Insertion of a vascular access device is not considered major/minor surgery\]
* More than 7 days since prior core biopsy
* No concurrent major surgery
* No other concurrent chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, or any other therapy or supportive care considered investigational
* No concurrent enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs or any other CYP3A4 inducer, such as rifampin or Hypericum perforatum
* No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* No other concurrent investigational agents or other concurrent anticancer therapies
* No concurrent prophylactic hematopoietic colony-stimulating factors
* Concurrent full-dose anticoagulants allowed provided PT/INR is \> 1.5 and both of the following criteria are met:

  * In-range INR on a stable dose of oral anticoagulant OR on a stable dose of low molecular weight heparin
* AND (continued from above) No active bleeding or pathological condition that carries a high risk of bleeding (e.g., tumor involving major vessels, gastrointestinal ulcerations, or known varices)