Bevacizumab and Erlotinib or Sorafenib as First-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Advanced Liver Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Pathologically confirmed advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

  * Childs-Pugh class A
  * CLIP score ≤ 5
* Not a candidate for curative surgical resection or loco-regional therapy
* Measurable disease as per RECIST 1.1 criteria, defined as ≥ 1 previously unirradiated, bidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by CT scan or MRI (triphasic spiral CT scan or MRI employing a "liver protocol" image capture technique required)

  * Bone lesions, ascites, and pleural effusions are not considered measurable lesions
* No fibrolamellar HCC
* No known brain metastases
* No prior organ transplantation

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm³
* Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
* Transaminases ≤ 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Total bilirubin ≤ 2.0 times ULN
* PT ≤ 1.8 times ULN

  * Prolonged INR allowed for patients who require full dose anticoagulation
* Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance ≥ 45 mL/min
* Urine protein \< 2+ by urine dipstick OR urine protein ≤ 1 g by 24-hour urine collection
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 12 weeks after completion of study treatment
* Able to take and absorb oral medication
* No active infection requiring parenteral therapy
* No known HIV or AIDS
* No uncontrolled blood pressure (BP), defined as systolic BP ≥ 150 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP ≥ 100 mm Hg
* No uncontrolled or significant cardiovascular disease, including any of the following:

  * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  * Uncontrolled angina within the past 6 months
  * New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure
  * Grade 3 cardiac valve dysfunction
  * Cardiac arrhythmia not controlled by medication
  * Stroke or transient ischemic attack within the past 6 months
  * Arterial thrombotic event of any type within the past 6 months
* No significant or symptomatic vascular disease (e.g., aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, or peripheral vascular disease) within the past 6 months
* No decompensated liver disease as evidenced by clinically significant ascites refractory to diuretic therapy, hepatic encephalopathy, or coagulopathy not corrected by conservative measures
* No grade 3 bleeding esophageal or gastric varices within the past 2 months

  * Prior variceal bleeding allowed provided patient has undergone banding or sclerotherapy and there has been no evidence of bleeding for 2 months
* No gastric varices ≥ grade 2
* No hemoptysis (i.e., ≥ ½ teaspoon of bright red blood per episode) within the past month
* No evidence of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy
* No concurrent uncontrolled illness, including, but not limited to, a history of or current evidence of unexplained nephrotic syndrome or other severe illness/disease that would preclude study participation
* No history of hypertensive crisis or hypertensive encephalopathy
* No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 6 months
* No serious, non-healing wound, active ulcer, or untreated bone fracture
* No significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days
* No history of allergy to bevacizumab, erlotinib hydrochloride, sorafenib tosylate, or related compounds
* No other primary malignancy within the past 5 years, except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or urinary bladder or nonmelanoma skin cancer
* No mental incapacitation or psychiatric illness that would preclude study participation
* Not incarcerated or compulsorily detained (i.e., involuntarily incarcerated) for treatment of either a psychiatric or physical illness (e.g., infectious disease)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* Prior surgery, local ablation, trans-arterial hepatic artery embolization, or trans-arterial chemoembolization are allowed provided the lesion(s) have progressed since treatment OR there are additional measurable, untreated lesions present
* No prior systemic therapy for HCC
* No prior organ transplantation
* More than 7 days since prior minor surgical procedures, fine needle aspirations, or core biopsies (excluding placement of a vascular access device)
* More than 28 days since any prior therapy
* More than 28 days since prior and no concurrent major surgical procedure or open biopsy
* More than 28 days since prior and no concurrent participation in another experimental drug study
* No other concurrent anticancer or antitumor therapy, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or hormonal anticancer therapy
* No other concurrent investigational agents
* No concurrent warfarin (other types of anticoagulation allowed)