Interferon Alfa-2b With or Without Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically proven previously untreated metastatic or unresectable renal cell carcinoma

• Retroperitoneal lymph nodes that are unresectable or those that are not resected at the investigator's discretion are considered metastatic disease

• Prior nephrectomy allowed provided there is evidence of unresponsive metastatic disease after surgery or within one month prior to study enrollment

• Bidimensionally measurable disease

• Measurable disease must be outside any prior radiotherapy port

• No history of brain metastases unless surgically resected or treated with gamma knife radiotherapy and currently without radiologic evidence of CNS disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3

• Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL (transfusion allowed)

• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

• SGOT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR

• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing

• Negative pregnancy test

• Fertile patients must use 2 effective methods of contraception (1 highly active method and 1 barrier method) for at least 4 weeks before, during, and for at least 4 weeks after study participation

• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

• No uncontrolled diabetes or any other concurrent illnesses that would increase risk

• No history of peripheral neuropathy

• No severe depression

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No prior immunotherapy (including adjuvant interferon alfa therapy), cellular therapy, or vaccine therapy for renal cell carcinoma

• No prior antiangiogenesis therapy for renal cell carcinoma

• Immunotherapy for prior malignancy allowed (except for interferon alfa therapy)

Chemotherapy:

• No prior chemotherapy for renal cell carcinoma

• Chemotherapy for prior malignancy allowed

Endocrine therapy:

• No prior hormonal therapy for renal cell carcinoma

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

• At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics

Other:

• More than 7 days since prior IV antibiotics for infection