Bevacizumab and Erlotinib in Treating Patients With Advanced Liver Cancer

This phase II trial is studying how well giving bevacizumab together with erlotinib works in treating patients with advanced liver cancer. Monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Erlotinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Bevacizumab and erlotinib may also stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Giving bevacizumab together with erlotinib may kill more tumor cells

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the objective response rate in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with bevacizumab and erlotinib. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the time to progression in patients treated with this regimen. II. Evaluate the overall and progression-free survival of patients treated with this regimen. III. Evaluate the adverse events in patients treated with this regimen. TERTIARY OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the presence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in tumor tissue and correlate this with response rate, progression, and survival in patients treated with this regimen. II. Evaluate the expression of molecules involved in EGFR signal transduction, including EGFR, phosphorylated-EGFR, Akt, phosphorylated-Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphorylated-MAPK, and HER2/neu by immunohistochemistry (from tumor tissue) and correlate these with patient outcome measures. III. Determine the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptors in tumor tissue as well as baseline plasma VEGF levels and correlate these with patient outcome measures. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients receive bevacizumab IV over 30-90 minutes on days 1 and 15 and oral erlotinib hydrochloride once daily on days 1-28. Treatment repeats every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo laboratory studies to determine epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and phosphorylated-EGFR protein levels using initial diagnostic biopsy specimens by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for correlation with clinical outcome. Levels of proteins through which EGFR signals, including Akt, phosphorylated-Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and phosphorylated-MAPK, are also determined using initial diagnostic biopsy specimens by IHC and correlated with clinical outcome. Total and free serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels are determined at the start of study and prior to course 3 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). After completion of study treatment, patients are followed periodically for up to 3 years.