S0505 Sorafenib in Treating Patients With Advanced Soft Tissue Sarcomas

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed soft tissue sarcoma of 1 of the following histologies: * Angiosarcoma, cutaneous or visceral * Malignant hemangiosarcoma * Malignant hemangiopericytoma * Grade 3-4 leiomyosarcoma * Grade 3-4 liposarcoma * Must have evidence of unresectable residual disease, metastatic disease, or recurrent disease by radiography * Measurable disease by x-ray, scans, or physical examination * Archived paraffin-embedded tumor sections available * No known brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * Zubrod 0-1 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * WBC ≥ 3,000/mm\^3 * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if due to liver metastases) * Bilirubin normal (≤ 2.5 times ULN if due to liver metastases) * PT, PTT, and INR normal Renal * Creatinine normal OR * Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min Cardiovascular * No history of thromboembolic disease * No uncontrolled hypertension Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * Able to swallow oral medication * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer in complete remission PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * Not specified Chemotherapy * At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy (42 days for carmustine or mitomycin) and recovered * Prior adjuvant chemotherapy allowed * No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for metastatic disease Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy and recovered * Must have evidence of disease progression within, or measurable disease outside of, the radiation field after completion of radiotherapy Surgery * At least 28 days since prior major surgery and recovered Other * No prior sorafenib * No prior inhibitor of VEGFR or MAPK pathway * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * No other concurrent investigational agents * No concurrent therapeutic anticoagulation * No concurrent administration of any of the following medications: * Rifampin * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) * Cytochrome P450 enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs, including any of the following: * Phenytoin * Carbamazepine * Phenobarbital