Erlotinib in Treating Patients With Liver Cancer That Cannot be Surgically Removed

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)not amenable to curative resection * No fibrolamellar HCC * No prior therapy for HCC, including systemic chemotherapy, hepatic arterial infusion of chemotherapeutic agents or irradiated microspheres, and epidermal growth factor receptor-targeting agents * The following prior therapies are allowed provided previously treated lesions remain separate from those to be evaluated in present study * Surgery * Liver-directed therapy (e.g., radiofrequency ablation, transarterial embolization/chemoembolization, or percutaneous ethanol injection) * At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion * At least 20 mm by conventional techniques * Must have paraffin tissue block or unstained slides from biopsy or surgical specimen * No known brain metastases * No ascites that are refractory to conservative management (e.g., sodium restriction to 50 mEq/day dietary sodium and fluid restrictions and/or diuretics) * Performance status - ECOG 0-2 * At least 16 weeks * Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 60,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL * Bilirubin no greater than 1.8 mg/dL * Albumin at least 2.5 g/dL * AST/ALT no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal * PT no greater than 1-3 seconds over normal * No decompensated liver disease * No jaundice * No portosystemic encephalopathy (evidenced by confusion, asterixis, significant sleep disturbance, or hypothermia less than 36º Celsius) * No hyponatremia with sodium less than 125 mEq/L * No portal hypertension with bleeding esophageal or gastric varices within the past 3 months * Creatinine no greater than 2 mg/dL * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No cardiac arrhythmia * No gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication or requirement for IV alimentation * No active peptic ulcer disease * No abnormalities of the cornea (e.g., dry eye syndrome or Sjögren's syndrome) * No congenital abnormality (e.g., Fuch's dystrophy) * No other uncontrolled concurrent illness that would preclude study participation * No ongoing or active infection * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No prior surgical therapy affecting absorption * More than 30 days since prior investigational agents * No concurrent commercial or other investigational anticancer agents or therapies * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients