Sorafenib in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed newly diagnosed clear cell renal cell carcinoma, meeting 1 of the following criteria: * Localized disease, as evidenced by intact, bulky, and primary renal lesions (T1 \> 3 cm, any T2, T3, or T4) appropriate for nephrectomy * Limited metastatic disease, as evidenced by any renal primary (T1 \> 3 cm, any T2, T3, or T4) appropriate for cytoreductive nephrectomy * Isolated abdominal/pelvic recurrence with limited metastatic burden (minimum size \> 2 cm) appropriate for metastasectomy * No known brain metastasis * Patients with neurological symptoms must undergo a CT scan/MRI of the brain to exclude brain metastasis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-1 * Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alanine aminotransferase and Aspartate aminotransferase ≤ 2.5 times ULN (≤ 5 times ULN with liver involvement) * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Estimated glomerular filtration rate \> 30 mL/min (for patients receiving Gd-enhanced MRI) * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception prior to, during (men and women), and for at least 3 months after (men) completion of study therapy * Adequate cardiac and pulmonary status for operative therapy * No active clinically serious infection \> CTCAE grade 2 * No known HIV, he…