OBJECTIVES:~Determine the efficacy of PEG-interferon alfa-2b in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.~Determine the time to disease progression in patients treated with this drug.~Determine the safety of this drug in these patients.~Determine the quality of life of patients treated with this drug.~Determine the effect of this drug on biological surrogates of antitumor activity (basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and interleukin-6 serum levels) in these patients.~OUTLINE: Patients receive PEG-interferon alfa-2b subcutaneously once weekly. Courses repeat every 4 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.~Quality of life is assessed at baseline, at 2 weeks and at 2, 4, 8, and 12 months after initiation of study therapy, and then at completion of study therapy.~PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 45 patients will be accrued for this study within 15 months.
RATIONALE: PEG-interferon alfa-2b may stop the growth of kidney cancer by stopping blood flow to the tumor.~PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of PEG-interferon alfa-2b in treating patients who have metastatic kidney cancer.