Celecoxib and Erlotinib in Treating Patients With Liver Cancer

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histological evidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) * No evidence of residual or recurrent disease * Received 1 of the following therapies: * Tumor resection between 4-8 weeks prior to study enrollment * Transarterial chemo-embolization between the past 4-8 weeks * Radiofrequency ablation and percutaneous ethanol injection (sequential or combinations thereof) between the past 2-8 weeks * Meets 1 of the following high-risk features for recurrence: * History of resection of a single HCC \> 5 cm * History of multifocal HCC (includes microsatellite disease found at time of resection) * History of vascular invasion (macro or micro) * History of poorly differentiated HCC * Underlying cirrhosis * No Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL * Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * AST/ALT ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 3 times ULN * INR ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Albumin ≥ 2.5 g/dL * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Life expectancy ≥ 2 years * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 6 months after completion of study treatment * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer * Patients must agree not to wear contact lenses * No history of ulcer disease or gastrointestinal bleeding * No myocardial infarction within the past 18 months * No cerebral vascular event within the past 18 months * No history of aspirin or NSAID-induced asthma * No history of Gilbert's syndrome * No history of hypersensitivity reaction or allergy to sulfa drugs, aspirin, or other NSAIDs * No liver transplantation candidates for phase I portion of the study * No New York Heart Association class III or IV cardiac disease * No interstitial lung disease * No gastrointestinal disease prohibiting oral medication or requiring IV alimentation * No active peptic ulcer disease * No unstable angina pectoris * No ongoing, active, or untreated infection * No hypersensitivity to celecoxib * No rising alpha-fetal protein (AFP) not attributable to hepatitis B or C virus * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior liver transplantation * No prior chemotherapy or biologic therapy in the adjuvant setting * No prior chest or mantle radiotherapy * No concurrent aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) * No concurrent interferon * No concurrent oral steroids * No concurrent anticoagulant therapy * No concurrent CYP3A4 inducers or inhibitors * No concurrent commercial or other investigational anticancer agents or therapies * No concurrent selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors * No concurrent antineoplastic or antitumor agents, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or hormonal anticancer therapy