DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma

  • Papillary OR clear cell histology

    • If other histologies are present, clear cell or papillary must be predominant
  • Metastatic disease

• Measurable disease

  • At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• No brain metastases unless previously treated with radiotherapy or surgery AND asymptomatic with no active brain metastases detectable by CT scan or MRI for ≥ 6 months

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

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

Hepatic

• AST and ALT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 2.0 times ULN

Cardiovascular

• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• No severe valvular disease

Pulmonary

• No severe debilitating pulmonary disease

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No allergy to egg or egg products
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG)
• No active or ongoing infection requiring IV antibiotics
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• No other uncontrolled illness

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No more than 1 prior cytokine-based regimen
• No concurrent biologic therapy

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
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

• More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery

Other

• Recovered from prior therapy
• No more than 1 prior non-cytokine-based regimen
• No other prior systemic treatment regimens
• No other concurrent cytotoxic therapy
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No other concurrent investigational agents