Sorafenib in Treating Patients With Ovarian Epithelial Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer, or Peritoneal Cancer in at Least the Second Remission

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed epithelial carcinoma arising in the ovary, fallopian tube, or peritoneum

Any stage and grade at diagnosis

Must have received initial cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy with ≥ 1 platinum-based chemotherapy regimen

Persistent or recurrent disease after initial therapy

In complete clinical remission after chemotherapy for recurrent disease, meeting all of the following criteria:

CA125 ≤ 35 units/L
Normal physical examination

No definite evidence of disease by CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis

Lymph nodes and/or soft tissue abnormalities ≤ 1.0 cm are not considered definite evidence of disease
No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

Karnofsky performance status 70-100%
Life expectancy > 3 months
ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
INR < 1.5 OR PT/PTT within normal limits
Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

Urinalysis negative for protein

If urinalysis shows 1+ protein by dipstick or protein ≥ 30-100 mg/dL by semi-quantitative assay, a 24-hour urine collection is required

Eligible patients must have a total urinary protein ≤ 500 mg AND measured creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min from a 24-hour urine collection
Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN
Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
Stable blood pressure (BP) measurement required on 3 separate days prior to the start of treatment
No peripheral neuropathy > grade 1
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception

Exclusion criteria:

Other invasive malignancies within the past 5 years, except nonmelanoma skin cancer

Uncontrolled concurrent illness or medical condition including, but not limited to, any of the following:

Ongoing or active infection
Symptomatic congestive heart failure
Unstable angina pectoris
Cardiac arrhythmia
Uncontrolled diabetes
Psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
Uncontrolled hypertension defined as a persistent BP > 150/100 mm Hg (or a persistent BP > 180/90 mm Hg if the patient has a history of isolated systolic hypertension) despite ≥ 2 attempts at antihypertensive medication dosage adjustment ≥ 2 weeks apart
Thrombolic or embolic events such as cerebrovascular accident, including transient ischemic attack, within the past 6 months
Pulmonary hemorrhage or bleeding event ≥ grade 2 within 4 weeks of the first dose of study drug
Other hemorrhage or bleeding event ≥ grade 3 within 4 weeks of the first dose of study drug
Serious nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
Evidence or history of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy
Inability to take oral medications or gastrointestinal condition that compromises absorption
History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to sorafenib tosylate

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Inclusion criteria:

See Disease Characteristics
No prior sorafenib tosylate or other inhibitors of MAPK signaling intermediates or angiogenesis inhibitors
No prior cancer treatment that would contraindicate protocol therapy
More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
More than 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy, biological therapy, or immunotherapy
More than 1 week since prior hormonal therapy for cancer treatment

Exclusion criteria:

Major surgery (i.e., laparotomy) within the past 4 weeks or minor surgery within the past 2 weeks

Placement of a vascular access device is not considered minor surgery
Concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
Concurrent St. John wort, rifampin, or enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants (e.g., carbamazepine, phenytoin, or phenobarbital)