Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed solid tumor, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic
leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, or Hodgkin's lymphoma that has no effective
standard therapeutic option but requires systemic therapy

- No history of CNS neoplasms

- For prostate cancer:

- Tumor progression during blockade of testicular and adrenal androgens

- At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide or other antiandrogens without disease
improvement

- Leuprolide or other gonadotropin-releasing hormones should be maintained in
patients without an orchiectomy

- Testosterone in the castrate range

- For breast cancer:

- At least 4 weeks since any prior hormonal therapy with evidence of disease
progression

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- Over 18

Performance status:

- ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- Platelet count greater than 50,000/mm^3

- Absolute granulocyte count greater than 500/mm^3

- Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

- SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2.5 times normal

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR

- Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

- No history of unstable or newly diagnosed angina pectoris

- No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

- No New York Heart Association class II-IV heart disease

Other:

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- HIV negative

- No recent acute or chronic gastrointestinal conditions (e.g., stomach ulcer or
enteritis) that might affect tolerability or drug absorption

- No allergic reaction to any medication with a structure similar to perifosine

- No pre-existing retinal disease or pathologic baseline electrooculogram

- No cataracts that would interfere with normal vision or require medical intervention

- No other serious concurrent illness that would preclude assessment of drug effect

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

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

- At least 2 months since prior UCN-01

- More than 3 months since prior suramin

Endocrine therapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- No concurrent corticosteroids except for physiological replacement or as antiemetics

Radiotherapy:

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy (6 weeks for bone-seeking radioisotopes)
and recovered

Surgery:

- See Disease Characteristics

Other:

- No other concurrent antineoplastic therapies