AE-941 in Treating Patients With Metastatic Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed renal cell adenocarcinoma Disease progression within 16 weeks after first-line therapy, which included interleukin-2 and/or interferon Metastatic disease not amenable to surgery Measurable and/or evaluable disease No more than one line of prior anticancer treatment for renal cell carcinoma No pure papillary cell tumor, mixed tumor containing predominantly sarcomatoid cells, Bellini carcinoma, medullary carcinoma, or chromophobe oncocytic tumor No brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: More than 3 months Hematopoietic: Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 WBC at least 2,500/mm3 Hemoglobin at least 8 g/dL (epoetin alfa allowed) Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Calcium no greater than the upper limit of normal (ULN) (bisphosphonates allowed) Creatinine no greater than 2 times ULN Other: No other prior malignancy within past 5 years except basal cell carcinoma of the skin or carcinoma in situ of the cervix No severe allergy to fish or seafood No medical condition that would interfere with intake and/or absorption of study medication (e.g., gastrectomy or major intestinal resection) No significant medical or psychiatric condition that would preclude study Not pregnant Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use adequate contraception PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 1 month but no longer than 8 months since prior immunotherapy Chemotherapy: Not specified Endocrine therapy: At least 1 week since prior systemic corticosteroids for symptomatic treatment of renal cell carcinoma At least 28 days since prior medroxyprogesterone acetate No concurrent medroxyprogesterone acetate Concurrent corticosteroids for symptomatic treatment of neurological complications caused by renal cancer allowed Radiotherapy: Concurrent radiotherapy to symptomatic lesions for symptom relief allowed Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Concurrent surgical removal of symptomatic lesions for symptom relief allowed Other: At least 28 days since other prior experimental therapeutic agents At least 28 days since other prior shark cartilage products No other concurrent therapies for metastatic renal cell carcinoma No other concurrent shark cartilage products