Inclusion Criteria

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