Sorafenib and Erlotinib in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Solid Tumors

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed solid tumor * Metastatic or unresectable disease * Standard curative or palliative measures do not exist OR are no longer effective * Measurable disease by radiography (for patients treated at the maximum tolerated dose \[MTD\] only) * Tumor accessible for serial biopsies (for patients treated at the MTD only) * No known brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * ECOG 0-2 OR * Karnofsky 60-100% Life expectancy * More than 12 weeks Hematopoietic * WBC ≥ 3,000/mm\^3 * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * No bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy Hepatic * Bilirubin normal * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * PT INR ≤ 1.5 unless on full-dose warfarin Renal * Creatinine normal OR * Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min Cardiovascular * No uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., systolic blood pressure \[BP\] \> 140 mm Hg or diastolic BP \> 90 mm Hg despite medication) * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No cardiac arrhythmia Ophthalmic * No abnormalities of the cornea, including any of the following: * Dry eye syndrome * Sjögren's syndrome * Congenital abnormalities (e.g., Fuch's dystrophy) * Abnormal slit-lamp examination using a vital dye (e.g., fluorescein or Bengal-Rose) * Abnormal corneal sensitivity test (e.g., Schirmer test or similar tear production test) Gastrointestinal * No active peptic ulcer disease that would impair the ability to swallow pills * No gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication or a requirement for IV alimentation Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * Willing to undergo serial biopsies, positron emission tomography, and CT scanning (for patients treated at the MTD only) * No ongoing or active infection * No significant traumatic injury within the past 3 weeks * No history of allergic reaction to drugs of similar chemical or biological composition to study drugs * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance * No other condition that would impair the ability to swallow pills * No other uncontrolled illness PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * No concurrent prophylactic hematopoietic colony-stimulating factors Chemotherapy * More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy (except for low dose, non-myelosuppressive radiotherapy) and recovered Surgery * More than 3 weeks since prior major surgery * No prior surgical procedure affecting absorption Other * No prior sorafenib or erlotinib * No other prior agents targeting Raf, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF receptor, or epidermal growth factor receptor * No other concurrent investigational agents * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * No concurrent enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine, or phenobarbital) * No concurrent CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., rifampin or Hypericum perforatum \[St. John's wort\]) * No other concurrent anticancer therapy * Concurrent prophylactic anticoagulation therapy (e.g., low-dose warfarin) allowed provided PT INR \< 1.1 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Concurrent full-dose anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin) with PT INR \> 1.5 allowed provided both of the following criteria are met: * Patient has an in range INR (between 2-3) while on a stable-dose of oral anti-coagulant OR a stable-dose of low molecular weight heparin * No active bleeding OR pathological condition that would confer a high risk of bleeding (e.g., tumor involving a major vessel or known varices)