BMS-247550 and Gemcitabine in Treating Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-hematological cancer that is unresponsive to currently available therapies or for which there is no known effective treatment
• Clinical or radiological evidence of disease required
• No active brain metastases, including evidence of cerebral edema (by CT scan or MRI), progression from prior imaging study, any requirement for steroids, or clinical symptoms

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• At least 3 months

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin at least 8.0 g/dL

Hepatic

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• ALT and AST no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) or 93 U/L

Renal

• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN or 2.0 mg/dL

Other

• No documented hypersensitivity reaction to prior paclitaxel or other therapy containing Cremophor EL
• No grade 2 or greater pre-existing peripheral neuropathy
• No serious uncontrolled medical disorder or active infection that would preclude study therapy
• No dementia or altered mental status that would preclude informed consent
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas, mitomycin, or doxorubicin HCl liposome)
• Prior taxanes allowed
• Prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy allowed
• No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens in the metastatic setting
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• No concurrent hormonal therapy except hormone-replacement therapy
• Concurrent medications to maintain castrate status for progressive hormone-refractory prostate cancer allowed

Radiotherapy

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy to more than 25% of bone marrow
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• At least 4 weeks since prior investigational agents
• No other concurrent experimental anticancer medications
• No concurrent alternative therapies (e.g., high-dose vitamins or herbal medicines)
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients