Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed solid tumor

- Refractory to standard therapy OR

- No standard therapy exists

- No breast cancer

- No active CNS metastases

- Known CNS metastases must be previously treated with radiotherapy or surgery and
stable for at least 4 weeks prior to study

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 and over

Performance status:

- Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

- At least 3 months

Hematopoietic:

- Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm^3

- WBC greater than 3,000/mm^3

- Neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm^3

- Hemoglobin greater than 10 g/dL (9 g/dL for women)

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin less than 1.2 mg/dL

- Transaminases no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 1.4 mg/dL

Other:

- No active infection

- No contraindication to the insertion of a vascular access device

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- No concurrent systemic anticancer immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

- No concurrent systemic anticancer chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

- No concurrent systemic anticancer hormonal therapy except luteinizing
hormone-releasing hormone agonists or antagonists

Radiotherapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- Concurrent localized radiotherapy for control of local disease complications allowed

Surgery:

- See Disease Characteristics

Other:

- Recovered from prior antineoplastic therapy

- At least 4 weeks since prior investigational agents

- No other concurrent investigational drugs