Bevacizumab and Interleukin-2 in Treating Patients With Metastatic Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with predominantly clear cell histology
Measurable disease
No history of tumor-related hemorrhage
No history of CNS or brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Karnofsky performance status ≥ 80%
Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm^3
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL (transfusion or recombinant erythropoietin growth factors allowed)
AST ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if due to liver metastases)
Serum total bilirubin ≤ 2 times ULN (except for patients with Gilbert's disease)
Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min

FEV_1 ≥ 2.0 L or ≥ 75% of predicted

Pulmonary function testing required for patients over age 50 or with significant pulmonary or smoking history
No history of cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attacks

No evidence of any of the following cardiac conditions*:

Congestive heart failure
Symptoms of coronary artery disease
Myocardial infarction < 6 months prior to study entry
Serious cardiac arrhythmias
Unstable angina NOTE: *Patients > 40 years old or who have had a previous myocardial infarction > 6 months prior to study entry are required to have a negative or low probability cardiac stress test for cardiac ischemia
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception

No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or noninvasive cancer, such as cervical carcinoma in situ, superficial bladder cancer without local recurrence, or breast cancer in situ

Patients with a history of another invasive malignancy must be in complete remission for ≥ 5 years
No positive serology for HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C
No significant co-morbid illness, such as uncontrolled diabetes or active infection, that would preclude study treatment

No history of inflammatory bowel disease or other serious autoimmune disease

Thyroiditis or rheumatoid arthritis allowed
No uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., blood pressure > 150/100 mm Hg)
Proteinuria ≤ 3+ by dipstick OR proteinuria < 2 gm by 24-hour urine collection
Urine protein:creatinine ration < 1.0
No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within 6 months prior to study entry
No significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days
No serious, nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
No active bleeding
No history of other serious hemorrhage, bleeding diathesis, or underlying coagulopathy
No history of deep venous thrombosis, clinically significant peripheral vascular disease, or other thrombotic event

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

No organ allografts
At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy or surgery and recovered
No prior systemic therapy for metastatic RCC
No prior bevacizumab or interleukin-2
At least 2 weeks since prior steroids
No major surgery or open biopsy within the past 28 days
No minor surgical procedures, fine needle aspirations, or core biopsies within the past 7 days, except central venous catheter placement
No concurrent major surgery
No concurrent corticosteroids or other immunosuppressants