Interferon Alfa-2b With or Without Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (Kidney Cancer)

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma (RCC)

• Conventional clear cell carcinoma

• Metastatic or unresectable disease

• The following characteristics and cellular types are excluded:

• True papillary

• Sarcomatoid features without a clear cell component

• Chromophobe

• Oncocytoma

• Collecting duct tumor

• Transitional cell carcinoma

• Measurable or nonmeasurable disease, including any of the following:

• Unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques (e.g., physical exam or chest x-ray) OR 10 mm by spiral CT scan or MRI

• The following are considered nonmeasurable disease:

• Small lesions

• Bone lesions

• Leptomeningeal disease

• Ascites

• Pleural/pericardial effusion

• Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis

• Abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques

• Cystic lesions

• Irradiated lesions, unless progression is documented after radiotherapy

• RCC paraffin tissue blocks or unstained slides must be available

• No evidence of prior or concurrent CNS metastases by MRI or CT scan

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• Granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3

• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

• No history of clinically significant bleeding

Hepatic

• AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN

• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN

• No proteinuria > 1+

• Proteinuria ≥ 2+ allowed provided protein is < 2 g/24-hour urine collection

Cardiovascular

• No deep venous thrombosis within the past year

• No cerebrovascular accident within the past year

• No peripheral vascular disease with claudication on < 1 block

• No uncontrolled hypertension defined as blood pressure ≥160 mm Hg (systolic) and/or ≥ 90 mm Hg (diastolic) while on medication

• No New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure

• No angina pectoris requiring nitrate therapy

• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

• No other significant cardiovascular disease

Pulmonary

• No pulmonary embolus within the past year

• No ongoing hemoptysis

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing

• Negative pregnancy test

• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study treatment

• No preexisting thyroid abnormality in which normal thyroid function cannot be maintained by medication

• No delayed wound healing, ulcers, or bone fractures

• No uncontrolled psychiatric disorder

• No other currently active* malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer NOTE: *Disease is not considered currently active if patient completed anticancer therapy and is considered to have < 30% risk of relapse

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No prior systemic immunotherapy for RCC

• No prior thalidomide, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy, VEGF receptor inhibitors, or antiangiogenic treatment of any kind

• No concurrent prophylactic filgrastim (G-CSF) or sargramostim (GM-CSF)

Chemotherapy

• No prior systemic chemotherapy for RCC

• No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• No concurrent systemic corticosteroid therapy except the following:

• Topical and inhaled steroids

• Replacement therapy for adrenal insufficiency

• No concurrent hormones except those administered for nondisease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

• Prior palliative radiotherapy to metastatic lesions allowed provided at least 1 measurable or nonmeasurable lesion remains untreated

• No concurrent palliative radiotherapy

Surgery

• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered

Other

• No other prior systemic investigational therapy for RCC

• No other prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant systemic therapy for RCC

• No concurrent full-dose oral or parenteral anticoagulation* NOTE: *Low-dose (1 mg) warfarin for maintenance of catheter patency and/or daily prophylactic aspirin is allowed