DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed solid tumor

  • Advanced disease
  • Refractory to standard therapy OR no standard therapy exists
• Measurable or evaluable disease

• No active brain metastases

  • Previously treated (e.g., surgery or radiotherapy) brain metastases are allowed provided they are currently asymptomatic and inactive by CT scan or MRI

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• At least 4 months

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL

Hepatic

• Bilirubin normal

• Meets 1 of the following criteria:

  • Alkaline phosphatase (AP) normal AND AST or ALT ≤ 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
  • AP ≤ 2.5 times ULN AND AST or ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
  • AP ≤ 5 times ULN AND AST or ALT normal

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 2 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease

Immunologic

• No prior desquamating rash or ≥ grade 2 allergic reaction while receiving thalidomide
• No history of hypersensitivity to docetaxel or other drugs formulated in polysorbate 80
• No history of allergic reaction to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to study drugs

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other uncontrolled illness or other condition that would preclude study compliance
• No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No concurrent hematopoietic growth factors during course 1 of study treatment
• No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

• At least 6 weeks since prior mitomycin or nitrosoureas

  • No more than 2 prior courses of mitomycin
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Radiotherapy

• No prior pelvic radiotherapy

Other

• At least 4 weeks since prior anticancer therapy
• No concurrent warfarin for anticoagulation (heparin is allowed)
• Recovered from all prior treatment
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy except bisphosphonates
• No other concurrent investigational agents