DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed solid tumor

  • Locally advanced or metastatic disease

• Disease progressed on or after standard therapy OR there is no standard therapy for the malignancy

  • Standard therapy is defined as first- or second-line therapy that has been shown to provide clinical benefit
• Life-long non-smoker
• No lung metastasis and/or pleural effusion causing signs or symptoms that impact patient performance status

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-1
• Body mass index ≤ 35

• No concurrent uncontrolled illness including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Ongoing or active infection
  • Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  • Unstable angina pectoris
  • Ventricular arrhythmia
  • Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study requirements
• No uncontrolled chest or abdominal pain
• No oral or facial pain exacerbated by an oral device
• No stress incontinence
• No COPD, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary embolism, or hemorrhage within the past 6 months
• No history of pulmonary fibrosis or pulmonary hypertension
• No oxygen requirement at baseline
• No asthma
• No occupational lung disease, including, but not limited to, asbestos exposure
• No polycythemia
• No history of connective tissue disease

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• No prior radiotherapy to the lung
• At least 6 months since prior lung surgery
• No prior amiodarone hydrochloride
• No prior high-dose chemotherapy with autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients