Chemoembolization of the Liver With or Without Sunitinib Malate in Treating Patients With Liver Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma or liver tumor responding to the Barcelona criteria * Child-Pugh score of 5-6 (Class A) * Tumor suitable for transarterial chemoembolization (one or more planned courses allowed) * Tumor not suitable for surgical resection * No extrahepatic metastases, including cerebral metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1.5 x 10\^9/L * Platelet count ≥ 100 x 10\^9/L * Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL * PT ≥ 50% * Creatinine ≤ 120 μmol/L * Bilirubin normal * ALT/AST ≤ 3.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alkaline phosphatases ≤ 4 times ULN * Fibrinogen ≥ 1.5 g/L * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No portal vein thrombosis * Able to comply with scheduled follow-up and management of toxicity * No uncontrolled hypertension or requiring ≥ 2 classes of antihypertensive drugs * No concomitant disease or uncontrolled severe disease * No contraindications to the vascular occlusion procedure * No prior or concurrent malignancy within the past 5 years, except adequately treated cone-biopsied carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal cell carcinoma of the skin * No psychiatric disability or social, family, or geographic reason for which the patient may not be followed regularly PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * At least 7 days since prior CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers * At least 3 months since prior radiofrequency ablation * No prior…