Tivantinib With or Without Erlotinib Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Locally Advanced Kidney Cancer That Cannot Be Removed by Surgery

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients must have histologically or cytologically confirmed papillary histology renal cell carcinoma which is metastatic, or locally advanced and unresectable; mixed histologies will be allowed provided that they contain >= 50% of the papillary component
• Patients must have measurable disease, defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension; x-rays, scans or physical examinations used for tumor measurement must have been completed within 28 days prior to registration; x-rays, scans or physical examinations for non-measurable disease must have been completed within 42 days prior to registration; all disease must be assessed and documented on the Baseline Tumor Assessment form
• Patients with metastatic disease who have a resectable primary tumor and are deemed a surgical candidate may have undergone resection; at least 28 days must have elapsed since surgery and patient must have recovered from any adverse effects of surgery
• Patients with a history of brain metastases who are asymptomatic and have not received steroid therapy in the 14 days prior to registration are eligible; anti-seizure medications are allowed provided they are non-enzyme inducing (e.g. topiramate, levetiracetam, gabapentin)
• Patients may have received up to one prior systemic therapy for advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma; patients must not have received a MET inhibitor or erlotinib as prior therapy; at least 21 days must have elapsed since completion of prior systemic therapy, 42 days for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C; patients must have recovered from all associated toxicities at the time of registration
• Patients may have received prior radiation therapy, but must have measurable disease outside the radiation port; at least 21 days must have elapsed since completion of prior radiation therapy; patients must have recovered from all associated toxicities at the time of registration
• Patients must not be receiving or planning to receive any other investigational agents
• Patients must have a complete physical examination and medical history within 28 days prior to registration
• Patients must have a Zubrod performance status of 0-2
• White blood cell (WBC) >= 2,000/mcL
• Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1,000/mcL
• Platelet count >= 75,000/mcL
• Serum bilirubin =< 1.5 x institutional upper limits of normal (ULN)
• Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT)/aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase (SGPT)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) must be =< 1.5 x the institutional ULN unless the liver is involved with the tumor, in which case serum transaminase (SGOT/SGPT) must be =< 5 x the institutional ULN
• Serum creatinine must be =< 2 x the institutional ULN
• Sodium, potassium and calcium must be obtained within 14 days prior to registration
• Patients with a known history of the following corneal diseases are not eligible: dry eye syndrome, Sjogren's syndrome, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, exposure keratopathy, Fuchs' dystrophy or other active disorders of cornea
• Patients known to be human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and receiving combination anti-retroviral therapy are not eligible
• Patients must be able to take oral medications; patients must not have gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication or a requirement for intravenous (IV) alimentation, prior surgical procedures affecting absorption, or active peptic ulcer disease; patients with intractable nausea or vomiting are not eligible
• Patients must not be pregnant or nursing; women/men of reproductive potential must have agreed to use an effective contraceptive method; a woman is considered to be of "reproductive potential" if she has had menses at any time in the preceding 12 consecutive months; in addition to routine contraceptive methods, "effective contraception" also includes heterosexual celibacy and surgery intended to prevent pregnancy (or