Azacitidine Plus Phenylbutyrate in Treating Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors That Have Not Responded to Previous Treatment

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic malignant solid tumor not amenable to curative therapy

  • Lymphoma allowed
• Progressive disease
• Evaluable disease
• No CNS metastases by CT scan or MRI

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Hemoglobin at least 8 g/dL (may be achieved by transfusion)
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 2 mg/dL (unless due to hemolysis or Gilbert's syndrome)
• SGOT and SGPT less than 2 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL

Other:

• No active infection
• HIV negative
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception for 2 weeks before, during, and 3 months after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic disease and recovered

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

• Not specified