Sunitinib Before or After Surgery in Treating Patients With Metastatic Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Proven metastatic renal cell carcinoma * Measurable disease (according to RECIST criteria) * Eligible for cytoreductive nephrectomy * Primary tumor is considered amenable to surgical extirpation by the attending surgeon * Thrombosis of the inferior vena cava below the epathic veins allowed * No symptomatic brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-1 * Adequate hematology and coagulation * Amylase and lipase normal * Adequate hepatic, renal, and cardiac function * Not pregnant * Negative pregnancy test * No uncontrolled hypertension and/or clinically significant cardiovascular events or disease within the past 12 months * No other cancer within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior early nephrectomy due to clinical condition * No prior systemic therapy for renal cell carcinoma (e.g., chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, interferon, interleukin-2, lymphocyte-activated killer cells, or other biological response modifiers) * More than 12 days since prior potent CYP3A4 inducers, including any of the following: * Rifampin * Rifabutin * Carbamazepine * Phenobarbital * Phenytoin * St. John's wort * Efavirenz * Tipranavir * More than 7 days since prior potent CYP3A4 inhibitors, including any of the following: * Ketoconazole * Itraconazole * Clarithromycin * Erythromycin * Diltiazem * Verapamil * Delavirdine * Indinavir * Saquinavir * Ritonavir * Atazanavir * Nelfinavir * No other concurrent approved or investigational anticancer treatment, including chemotherapy, biological response modifiers, hormonal therapy, or immunotherapy * No concurrent participation in any other treatment clinical trial * No concurrent palliative radiotherapy or surgery * No concurrent drugs with proarrhythmic potential, including any of the following: * Terfenadine * Quinidine * Procainamide * Disopyramide * Sotalol * Probucol * Bepridil * Haloperidol * Risperidone * Indapamide * Flecainide * Concurrent bisphosphonate therapy for metastatic bone disease allowed provided therapy was initiated at least 4 weeks prior to the first dose of study drug