Sorafenib Tosylate in Treating Patients With Liver Cancer That Can Be Removed by Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

  * Fibrolamellar or mixed histology allowed
  * No cholangiocarcinoma or other tubal disease
* Must be eligible for conservative hepatic resection or liver resection with curative intent
* No cirrhosis with Child-Pugh score \> 7
* Chronic liver disease without liver insufficiency and without portal liver hypertension allowed
* No known history or presence of metastatic brain or meningeal tumors

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-1
* Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
* WBC \> 3,000/µL
* ANC \> 1,500/µL
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/µL
* Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
* Bilirubin \< 1.5 times upper normal limit (ULN)
* AST and ALT ≤ 5 times UNL
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN
* Serum creatinine \< 2 times ULN
* PT/INR/PTT \< 1.5 times UNL
* Amylase and lipase \< 1.5 times ULN
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Body mass index 18.5-30 kg/m\^2 (WHO normal range: 18.5-25 kg/m\^2)
* Able to swallow oral compound
* No criterion for unresectability or medical condition that contraindicates surgical resection
* No serious concurrent systemic disorder incompatible with the study, including any of the following:

  * Uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., BP \> 150/100 mm Hg despite optimal therapy)
  * Active uncontrolled infection
  * Active alcoholism
* No prior medical disorder, including any of the following:

  * Cardiac arrhythmias requiring anti-arrhythmics (excluding beta-blockers or digoxin for chronic atrial fibrillation)
  * Active coronary artery disease or ischemia
  * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  * NYHA class III-IV congestive heart failure
  * Pulmonary embolism within the past 6 months
  * Gastrointestinal bleeding within the past 6 months
* No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years, except basal cell or squamous cell skin carcinoma or cured in situ cervical carcinoma
* No history or concurrent seizure disorder requiring medications (e.g., antiepileptic drugs)
* No history of HIV infection, or chronic hepatitis B or C
* No active clinically serious bacterial or fungal infection (i.e., grade 2 CTCAE v. 3)
* No condition that is unstable or could jeopardize the safety of the patient and his/her compliance with the study
* No substance abuse or medical, psychological, or social condition that could interfere with adherence to the study
* No known or suspected allergy to the investigational agent or to any agent given concurrently
* No presence of asthenia or rash \> CTC grade 1 at enrollment
* Must be registered in a national health-care system

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* No prior orthotopic liver transplantation
* Not a candidate for orthotopic liver transplantation
* No prior systemic or loco-regional treatment for HCC
* No prior organ allograft
* No treatment with any other investigational medicinal product within the past 28 days
* No concurrent treatment with full-dose anticoagulants

  * Deep-vein or catheter-associated thrombosis prophylaxis allowed
  * Warfarin or heparin therapy allowed if the coagulation parameters were within the acceptable ranges prior to initiation of anticoagulant therapy
* No concurrent or chronic co-administration of CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., rifampin, Hypericum perforatum, phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, or dexamethasone)