DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma

  • Locally advanced unresectable OR metastatic disease
• Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) score ≤ 3

• Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan

  • Measurable lesion must be outside field of prior chemoembolization
• No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100%
• Life expectancy > 12 weeks
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm³
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL
• Bilirubin ≤ 3.0 mg/dL
• AST and ALT ≤ 7 times upper limit of normal
• Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• CLIP score ≤ 3
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to AZD2171
• No chronic diarrhea or any disorder that would limit adequate absorption of AZD2171
• No mean QTc > 470 msec (with Bazett's correction) on screening EKG (490 msec for women)
• No familial history of long QT syndrome
• Proteinuria ≤ +1 on two consecutive dipsticks taken no less than 1 week apart

• No other uncontrolled illness including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  • Hypertension
  • Ongoing or active infection
  • Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  • Unstable angina pectoris
  • Cardiac arrhythmia
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior therapy
• Prior systemic chemotherapy regimens for hepatocellular carcinoma allowed
• More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C)
• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy, major surgery, or chemoembolization
• At least 30 days since prior participation in an investigational trial
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No concurrent medication that may markedly affect renal function (e.g., vancomycin, amphotericin, or pentamidine)
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies