Sorafenib in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed newly diagnosed clear cell renal cell carcinoma, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  * Localized disease, as evidenced by intact, bulky, and primary renal lesions (T1 \> 3 cm, any T2, T3, or T4) appropriate for nephrectomy
  * Limited metastatic disease, as evidenced by any renal primary (T1 \> 3 cm, any T2, T3, or T4) appropriate for cytoreductive nephrectomy
  * Isolated abdominal/pelvic recurrence with limited metastatic burden (minimum size \> 2 cm) appropriate for metastasectomy
* No known brain metastasis

  * Patients with neurological symptoms must undergo a CT scan/MRI of the brain to exclude brain metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-1
* Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Alanine aminotransferase and Aspartate aminotransferase ≤ 2.5 times ULN (≤ 5 times ULN with liver involvement)
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Estimated glomerular filtration rate \> 30 mL/min (for patients receiving Gd-enhanced MRI)
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception prior to, during (men and women), and for at least 3 months after (men) completion of study therapy
* Adequate cardiac and pulmonary status for operative therapy
* No active clinically serious infection \> CTCAE grade 2
* No known HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C infections
* No serious non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
* No significant traumatic injury within the past 4 weeks
* No pulmonary hemorrhage/bleeding event ≥ CTCAE grade 2 within the past 4 weeks
* No other hemorrhage/bleeding event ≥ CTCAE grade 3 within the past 4 weeks
* No history of an uncontrolled bleeding disorder including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Bleeding diathesis
  * Coagulopathy
* No cardiac disease or condition including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure
  * Unstable angina (anginal symptoms at rest)
  * New onset angina beginning within the last 3 months
  * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  * Cardiac ventricular arrhythmias requiring antiarrhythmic therapy
* No uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., systolic blood pressure \[BP\] \> 150 mm Hg or diastolic BP \> 100 mm Hg) despite optimal medical management
* No thrombolic or embolic events within the past 6 months (e.g., cerebrovascular accident including transient ischemic attacks)
* No condition that impairs the ability to swallow whole pills
* No malabsorption problem
* No contraindication to MRI, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Ferromagnetic implants
  * Dental work
  * Pacemakers
  * Metallic implants
  * Severe claustrophobia which precludes closed MRI testing
* No known or suspected allergy to sorafenib tosylate
* No contraindication or allergy to gadolinium (e.g., end stage renal disease requiring hemodialysis)
* No intercurrent illness or situation which, in the judgment of the investigator, would affect assessments of clinical status and study endpoints significantly

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery or open biopsy
* No prior therapy with tyrosine kinase or vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors (e.g., sunitinib malate, sorafenib, or bevacizumab)
* No concurrent Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) or rifampin
* No concurrent use of illicit drugs or other substances that may, in the opinion of the investigator, have a reasonable chance of contributing to toxicity or interfering with study results