DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed solid tumor or lymphoma
• Refractory to standard treatment OR no standard treatment that is potentially curative or capable of prolonging life expectancy exists
• Tumor amenable to biopsy (patients accrued at the MTD only)
• No CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3 (75,000/mm^3 for patients with lymphoma)
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL

Hepatic

• Bilirubin ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2 times ULN (5 times ULN if due to liver involvement)

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 2 times ULN

Cardiovascular

• QTc < 500 msec for men (470 msec for women)
• LVEF > 40% by echocardiogram
• Ejection fraction normal by echocardiogram (for patients who have received prior anthracycline therapy)
• No cardiac symptoms ≥ grade 2
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure
• No myocardial infarction within the past year
• No active ischemic heart disease within the past year
• No congenital long QT syndrome
• No left bundle branch block
• No history of uncontrolled dysrhythmias or requiring antiarrhythmic drugs
• No history of cardiac toxicity after receiving anthracyclines (e.g., doxorubicin hydrochloride, daunorubicin hydrochloride, mitoxantrone hydrochloride, bleomycin, or carmustine)
• No poorly controlled angina
• No history of serious ventricular arrhythmia (ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation ≥ 3 beats in a row)
• No other significant cardiac disease

Pulmonary

• Pulse oximetry at rest and exercise < 88% (per Medicare guidelines)
• No pulmonary symptoms ≥ grade 2
• No significant pulmonary disease requiring oxygen supplementation or causing a severe limitation in activity

• No symptomatic pulmonary disease requiring medication including any of the following:

  • Dyspnea on or off exertion
  • Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
  • Oxygen requirement and significant pulmonary disease, including chronic obstructive/restrictive pulmonary disease
• No home oxygen use that meets the Medicare criteria
• No history of pulmonary toxicity after receiving anthracyclines (e.g., doxorubicin hydrochloride, daunorubicin hydrochloride, mitoxantrone hydrochloride, bleomycin, or carmustine)

Neurologic

• No seizure disorder
• No sensory peripheral neuropathy > grade 1
• No neuropathic pain of any etiology

Other

• No uncontrolled infection
• No prior serious allergic reaction to eggs
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Willing to return to Mayo Clinic Rochester, Mayo Clinic Arizona, or Mayo Clinic Florida for follow up

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy or biologic therapy
• No concurrent prophylactic colony-stimulating factors
• No concurrent immunotherapy, biologic therapy, or gene therapy

Chemotherapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• Concurrent steroids (at a stable dose for ≥ 4 weeks) for comorbid conditions (e.g., adrenal insufficiency or rheumatoid arthritis) allowed

Radiotherapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy that potentially included the heart in the field (e.g., mantle) or chest
• No prior radiotherapy to > 25% of bone marrow
• No prior radiopharmaceuticals
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• Recovered from prior therapy
• More than 8 weeks since prior UCN-01

• No concurrent warfarin

  • Low molecular weight heparin allowed
• No concurrent medications that prolong or may prolong QTc interval
• No other concurrent investigational therapy