DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• One of the following histologically confirmed diagnoses:

  • Renal cell cancer

    • Clear cell histology

    • Metastatic or unresectable disease AND meets 1 of the following criteria:

      • Recurrent disease
      • Refractory to interleukin-2 (IL-2)- or interferon-based therapy
      • Previously untreated AND not a candidate for IL-2-based therapy

  • Colorectal, head and neck, pancreatic, or non-small cell lung cancer

    • Metastatic or unresectable disease
    • Progression after prior standard treatment

• No evidence of CNS disease, including the following (part 2 only):

  • Primary brain tumor
  • Brain metastases
• Paraffin embedded tumor blocks available

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy

• More than 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500 mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000 mm^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastasis is present)
• PTT and INR ≤ 1.5, unless receiving full-dose warfarin (part 2 only)

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• Calcium < 10 mg/dL (hypocalcemic agents allowed)
• No proteinuria* OR
• Protein < 1 g on 24-hour urine collection* NOTE: *For patients enrolled in part 2 only

Cardiovascular

• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure

• None of the following are allowed for part 2:

  • Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  • New York Heart Association class II-IV heart disease
  • Serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication
  • Peripheral vascular disease ≥ grade II
  • Recent history of cerebrovascular accident
  • Uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure ≥ 150/85 mm Hg despite medication)
  • Other clinically significant cardiovascular disease

Gastrointestinal

• No gastrointestinal (GI) tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication
• No GI tract disease resulting in a requirement for IV alimentation
• No active peptic ulcer disease

Immunologic

• No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to study drugs
• No known hypersensitivity to Chinese hamster ovary cell products or other recombinant human antibodies (part 2 only)
• No ongoing or active infection
• No active infection requiring parenteral antibiotics (part 2 only)

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after study treatment
• No significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days (part 2 only)
• No history of abnormalities of the cornea (e.g., dry eye syndrome, Sjögren's syndrome, or congenital abnormality [e.g., Fuch's dystrophy])
• No other malignancy within the past 3 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the breast or cervix
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• No serious or non-healing wound ulcer or bone fracture (part 2 only)
• No other uncontrolled illness

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy
• No prior cetuximab
• No prior bevacizumab
• Concurrent epoetin alfa or darbepoetin alfa allowed

Chemotherapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy

Surgery

• No prior surgical procedures affecting absorption
• Prior nephrectomy or resection of metastatic lesions allowed provided patient has fully recovered
• More than 7 days since prior core biopsy*
• More than 28 days since prior major surgery or open biopsy*
• No concurrent major surgery* NOTE: *For patients enrolled in part 2 only

Other

• Recovered from all prior therapy
• No prior erlotinib
• Concurrent bisphosphonates allowed

• Concurrent full-dose anticoagulants allowed provided the following criteria are met (part 2 only):

  • In-range INR (usually between 2 and 3) AND on a stable dose of warfarin or low molecular weight heparin
  • No active bleeding
  • No pathological conditions that carry a high risk of bleeding (e.g., tumor involving major vessels or varices)
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy