Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in Predicting Response to Sunitinib Malate in Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Kidney Cancer

Inclusion * AJCC stage IV or locally advanced (or inoperable) renal cell carcinoma for which archival tissue is available * No prior anti-angiogenic therapy * Prior radiation therapy to a symptomatic site of disease is allowed * ECOG performance status of 0, 1 or 2 * White Blood Count \>= 3,000/mm\^3 * Absolute Granulocyte Count \>= 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet Count \>= 100,000/mm\^3 * Serum creatinine =\< 2.0 x upper limit of normal (ULN) OR serum creatinine clearance (CrCl) \>= 40 ml/min * Total Bilirubin =\< 1.5 x ULN (\< 3.0 x ULN in the presence of Gilbert's disease) * AST/ALT =\< 2.5 x ULN (=\< 5.0 ULN in the presence of liver metastases) * INR =\< 1.5 and a PTT within normal limits; patients who are taking warfarin must have documentation of an INR =\< 1.5 and a PTT within normal limits prior to the initiation of anticoagulation to rule out a baseline coagulopathy * Patient must not have pre-existing thyroid abnormality with thyroid stimulating hormone that cannot be maintained in the normal range with medication * Patient must not have hypertension that cannot be controlled by medications (diastolic blood pressure \>= 100 mm Hg despite optimal medical therapy) * Patient must not have ongoing cardiac dysrhythmias of NCI CTCAE Version 3.0 grade \>= 2 * Patients must not receive any other investigational agents during the period on study * Patients must not have a history or clinical evidence of brain metastasis; however, patients with resected or radiated brain metastases are eligible * Patients must not have a serious intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection requiring parenteral antibiotics, clinically significant cardiovascular disease (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, myocardial infarction, unstable angina), New York heart association grade II or greater congestive heart failure, serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication * Patients must not have a serious intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, grade II or greater peripheral vascular disease within 1 year prior to study entry, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements * Patients must not be taking cytochrome P450 enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (phenytoin, carbamazepine or phenobarbital), rifampin or St. John's wort * Women must not be pregnant or breast-feeding * All females of childbearing potential must have a blood test or urine study within 2 weeks prior to registration to rule out pregnancy * Women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal, barrier method of birth control, or abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation