DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Pathologic diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma

  • Clinical confirmation of metastatic disease required

• Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques or

  • 10 mm by spiral CT scan

    • The following are considered nonmeasurable disease:

      • Small lesions (longest diameter < 20 mm by conventional techniques or < 10 mm by spiral CT scan)
      • Bone lesions
      • Leptomeningeal disease
      • Ascites
      • Pleural or pericardial effusion
      • Lymphangitis cutis or pulmonis
      • Abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques
      • Cystic lesions
• Progressed after ≥ 1 multikinase inhibitor regimen (i.e., sorafenib tosylate or sunitinib malate)
• No history of CNS or brain metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8.5 g/dL (no packed red blood cell transfusions within the past 4 weeks) (epoetin alfa support allowed)
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) (unless due to Gilbert's syndrome)
• AST and ALT ≤ 3 times ULN
• Creatinine < 2.0 mg/dL
• No active serious infections
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or nonmetastatic squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No comorbidity or concurrent condition that would interfere with protocol assessments or procedures
• No ongoing coagulopathy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior systemic therapy and recovered
• Prior radiotherapy allowed as long as the lesion treated is not used to assess response
• No prior radiotherapy to > 50% of the bone marrow
• No prior radiotherapy to index lesions unless there is clearly progressive disease within the irradiated area OR measurable disease outside the irradiated area