PEG-Interferon Alfa-2b and Sorafenib in Treating Patients With Unresectable or Metastatic Kidney Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Must have histologically or cytologically confirmed clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 lesion that can be accurately measured in ≥ 1 dimension and is ≥ 1.0 cm by spiral CT scan * No prior treatment except PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-1 * Life expectancy \> 6 months * Good/intermediate Motzer prognostic status * ANC ≥ 1,000/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL * Total bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * AST and ALT \< 2.5 times normal * Creatinine ≤ 1.8 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min * Calcium \< 12 mg/dL (when corrected for serum albumin) * INR \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal * Adequate cardiac function, defined as left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 40% by 2D echo * Pulse oximetry ≥ 90% at rest on room air * Not pregnant * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No evidence of bleeding diathesis * No uncontrolled coagulation disorders * No active infections requiring IV antibiotics * No known HIV, hepatitis C, or hepatitis B * No autoimmune disease requiring ongoing therapy * No requirement for adrenal replacement * No angina (controlled or uncontrolled) * No uncontrolled hypertension * No history of other major medical illnesses including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Cardiac ischemia * Myocardial infarction * Major cardiac arrhythmias * Inflammatory bowel disorders * No other prior malignancy except for previously treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer, or other cancer for which the patient has been disease-free for 3 years * No significant psychiatric disease that, in the opinion of the principal investigator, would preclude giving adequate informed consent or render immunotherapy unsafe PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior treatment for RCC except sunitinib malate * Patients may have progressed or have been intolerant to sunitinib malate * No prior systemic treatment for metastatic disease (other than sunitinib malate) * No prior organ allografts * At least 2 weeks since prior laparoscopic/robotic surgery * At least 4 weeks since prior open nephrectomy * More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent radiotherapy or other surgery * More than 4 weeks since prior systemic steroids * More than 2 weeks since prior topical, injected, or inhaled steroids * No concurrent steroid therapy * No concurrent Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)