DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically proven progressive advanced solid tumor that is not amenable to standard therapy (i.e., resistant to standard therapy or for which no standard therapy exists)
• No clinically symptomatic CNS involvement

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• At least 3 months

Hematopoietic:

• WBC at least 3,000/mm^3
• Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST and ALT less than 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases present)
• Alkaline phosphatase less than 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases present)

Renal:

• Creatinine less than 1.4 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• No ECG abnormalities of clinical relevance

Other:

• No severe or unstable systemic disease or infection
• No circumstances (e.g., alcoholism or substance abuse) that would preclude study participation
• HIV negative
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior immunostimulating substances, biologic response modifiers, or colony-stimulating factors
• No concurrent immunostimulating substances, colony-stimulating factors (except in life-threatening situations), biologic response modifiers, or monoclonal antibodies

Chemotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior systemic steroids
• No concurrent systemic steroids

Radiotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• No prior mistletoe preparations
• At least 4 weeks since prior investigational treatment
• No other concurrent anticancer agents