DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of 1 of the following:

  • Histologically confirmed malignancy that is metastatic or unresectable and for which standard curative or palliative measures do not exist or are no longer effective (dose-escalation cohorts)
  • Histologically or cytologically confirmed extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) (maximum tolerated dose expansion cohort)

• Patients with small cell lung carcinoma and brain metastases should have stable/improved lesions for at least 1 month following treatment, no neurological symptoms, and no requirement for corticosteroids

  • Prior whole-brain radiotherapy for brain metastases allowed for patients with small cell lung carcinoma
• Measurable or evaluable disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria

• ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 (Karnofsky PS 60-100%)
• Life expectancy > 12 weeks
• Leukocytes ≥ 3,000/mcL
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mcL (no transfusions allowed)
• Platelets ≥ 100,000/mcL (no transfusions allowed)
• Total bilirubin < 1.5 mg/dL
• AST(SGOT)/ALT(SGPT) ≤ 2.5 X institutional upper limit of normal
• Serum creatinine < 1.5 X institutional upper limit of normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 45 mL/min
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 1 month after completion of study treatment

Exclusion criteria

• History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to L-gossypol or other agents used in study
• Any condition (e.g., gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication or a requirement for IV alimentation, prior surgical procedures affecting absorption, or active peptic ulcer disease) that impairs ability to swallow and retain R-(-)-gossypol tablets
• Patients with malabsorption syndrome, disease significantly affecting gastrointestinal function, or resection of the stomach or small bowel
• Patients with ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, or a partial or complete small bowel obstruction

• Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  • Ongoing or active infection
  • Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  • Unstable angina pectoris
  • Cardiac arrhythmia
• Psychiatric illness or social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
• Patients with > grade 2 symptomatic hypercalcemia (based on investigator discretion)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Inclusion criteria

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior therapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas and mitomycin C)
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• More than 4 weeks since prior and no other concurrent investigational agents
• Concurrent routine use of erythropoietin allowed at investigator's discretion

Exclusion criteria

• Prior therapy that inhibits the Bcl-2 family
• Prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy in patients with ES-SCLC
• Prior use of R-(-)-gossypol
• Requirement for routine or prophylactic use of hematopoietic growth factors (including granulocyte colony stimulating factor, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor, or interleukin-11)
• Concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients