Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed solid tumor that is refractory to standard therapy or for
which no standard therapy exists

- Measurable or evaluable disease

- No CNS metastasis or primary CNS malignancy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 and over

Performance status:

- Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- WBC greater than 3,500/mm^3

- Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

- SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR

- Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

- No history of coronary artery disease documented by prior myocardial infarction,
angiography, or coronary-artery bypass grafting

- No cardiac arrhythmias or congestive heart failure within the past 6 months

- Stable atrial fibrillation on standard treatment allowed at discretion of
investigator

Pulmonary:

- DLCO at least 60% of predicted

Other:

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after study

- No active serious or uncontrolled infection

- HIV negative

- No diabetes

- No other medical condition that would preclude study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- See Disease Characteristics

Biologic therapy:

- At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy and recovered

Chemotherapy:

- At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas and mitomycin)
and recovered

- Prior fluorouracil allowed

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- No prior mediastinal radiotherapy

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

- Not specified

Other:

- No concurrent anticonvulsant medications