Epirubicin and Celecoxib in Treating Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

OBJECTIVES: * Determine the maximum tolerated dose of epirubicin when administered with celecoxib in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. * Determine the response rate in patients treated with this regimen. * Determine the 6-month and overall survival of patients treated with this regimen. * Determine the toxicity profile of this regimen in these patients. * Determine the effects of this regimen on serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and correlate these effects with response in these patients. * Correlate the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in tumor tissue and nonmalignant liver tissue with response in patients treated with this regimen. OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of epirubicin. * Phase I:Patients receive epirubicin IV over 20 minutes on day 1 and oral celecoxib twice daily on days 1-21. Courses repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cohorts of 3-5 patients receive escalating doses of epirubicin until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which at least 2 of 3 or 3 of 5 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity. * Phase II: Additional patients are accrued and treated as in phase I at the MTD of epirubicin. Patients are followed every 3 months. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 3-52 patients (3-15 for phase I and 12-37 for phase II) will be accrued for this study.