Sorafenib With or Without Gemcitabine and Oxaliplatin in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced, Unresectable, or Metastatic Liver Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma not amenable to liver transplantation * Locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic disease * At least 1 lesion accurately measured in ≥ 1 dimension according to RECIST criteria AND has not been previously treated with local therapy (e.g., intra-arterial chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation, percutaneous ethanol injection, or cryoablation) * No presence of bone metastasis only * No known brain metastasis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * WHO performance status 0-1 * Life expectancy \> 12 weeks * ANC \> 1,500/mm\^3 * WBC \> 3,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 90,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin \> 10 g/dL * Total protein ≥ 40% * ALT or AST ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Amylase and lipase \< 1.5 times ULN * Creatinine \< 1.5 times ULN * Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * Albumin ≥ 2.8 mg/dL * INR ≤ 2.3 * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during study and for up to 4 months for females and 6 months for males after completion of study treatment * CLIP score 0-3 * No Child Pugh score B or C cirrhosis * No known HIV positivity * No other prior malignancy, except adequately treated or curative basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix * No known or suspected allergy to the investigational agent or any agent given in association with this study * No cardiovascular disease, including any of the following: * Cardiac arrhythmia requiring antiarrhythmic therapy, except beta-blockers or digoxin for chronic atrial fibrillation * Active coronary artery disease or ischemia * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * NYHA class II-IV congestive heart failure * No uncontrolled hypertension * No severe active bacterial or fungal infection \> CTCAE v3.0 grade 2 * No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 * No condition that could affect the absorption of study drug, including any of the following: * Malabsorption syndrome * Disease significantly affecting gastrointestinal function * Bowel obstruction or sub-obstruction * No dysphagia or inability to swallow tablets * No history of seizures requiring long-term antiepileptic treatment * No unstable condition that would jeopardize safety or compliance with study including any of the following : * Medical, psychological, or social conditions * Substance abuse * Legal incapacity or limited legal capacity * No psychological, familial, social, or geographic reasons that would preclude clinical follow-up * Must be registered in a social security program PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior organ transplantation with immunosuppressive treatment * No prior systemic chemotherapy or systemic antiangiogenic treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma * No prior major resection of the stomach or proximal small bowel * Prior anticoagulation therapy (e.g., warfarin or heparin) allowed with INR parameters within normal limit range * At least 4 weeks since prior local therapy to lesions and treated lesions may not be selected as target lesions * No concurrent or prior long-term treatment with CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., rifampin, hypericum perforatum, phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and dexamethasone) * No concurrent antitumoral treatment, including tamoxifen, interferon, or somatostatin analogues * No other concurrent experimental drugs or anticancer therapy