DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed supratentorial glioblastoma multiforme

  • Progressive or recurrent disease after radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy* NOTE: *Patients with prior low-grade glioma who have progressed to high-grade glioma as evidenced by biopsy after radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy are eligible
• Measurable disease, defined as contrast-enhancing progressive or recurrent disease by MRI or CT scan within the past 3 weeks
• Must be able and willing to provide tissue and blood samples

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Karnofsky performance status 60-100%
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• Creatinine ≤ 1.7 mg/dL
• Total bilirubin normal
• AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Transaminases ≤ 4 times ULN
• PT and PTT normal
• PT INR ≤ 1.5 (unless on full-dose warfarin)
• Mini Mental State Exam score ≥ 15

• No concurrent serious infection or medical illness that would preclude study treatment or patient safety including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Uncontrolled hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure (BP) > 140 mm Hg or diastolic BP > 90 mm Hg

    • Well-controlled hypertension allowed
  • Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  • Unstable angina pectoris
  • Cardiac arrhythmia
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude compliance with study requirements
• No evidence of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy

• No known corneal abnormalities, including the following:

  • History of dry eye syndrome, Sjögren's syndrome, or other corneal abnormalities
  • Congenital abnormality (e.g., Fuch's dystrophy)
  • Abnormal slit-lamp examination using a vital dye (e.g., fluorescein, Bengal-Rose)
  • Abnormal corneal sensitivity test (i.e., Schirmer test or similar tear production test)

• No condition that would preclude the ability to swallow pills, including any of the following:

  • Gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication
  • Requirement for IV alimentation
  • Prior surgical procedures affecting absorption
  • Active peptic ulcer disease
• No history of allergic reaction to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition as erlotinib hydrochloride or sorafenib tosylate
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated carcinoma in situ or basal cell carcinoma of the skin
• No significant traumatic injury within the past 21 days
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after completion of study treatment

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Recovered from prior therapy
• No more than 2 prior treatments
• At least 3 months since prior radiotherapy
• At least 3 weeks since prior non-nitrosourea-containing chemotherapy
• At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosourea-containing chemotherapy
• More than 21 days since prior major surgery
• No prior erlotinib hydrochloride, sorafenib tosylate, or any other agent targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor

• At least 10 days since prior and concurrent cytochrome P450-inducing anticonvulsants including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Phenytoin
  • Carbamazepine
  • Phenobarbital
  • Primidone
  • Oxcarbazepine
• No other concurrent antitumor therapy (steroid therapy allowed)
• No other concurrent medications or substances known to affect or with the potential to affect the activity or pharmacokinetics of erlotinib hydrochloride or sorafenib tosylate
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No concurrent prophylactic hematopoietic colony-stimulating factors

• Concurrent full-dose anticoagulants allowed provided the following criteria are met:

  • INR is in range (2 to 3) on a stable dose of oral anticoagulant or low molecular weight heparin
  • No active bleeding or pathological condition that carries a high risk of bleeding (e.g., tumor involving major vessels or known varices)
• Concurrent prophylactic anticoagulation (i.e., low-dose warfarin) allowed provided INR < 1.1 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients