DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed solid tumor that is refractory to standard therapy or for which no standard therapy exists
• Tumors must be amenable to minimally-invasive biopsy (i.e., tumors must be superficial enough to be sampled by punch biopsy or core biopsy procedure without radiologic guidance)* NOTE: *For at least 6 patients per cohort

• No uncontrolled brain metastases, including symptomatic lesions or lesions requiring glucocorticoids and/or anticonvulsants to suppress symptoms

  • Negative brain scan required if there are signs and symptoms suggestive of brain metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

• At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic:

• WBC at least 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin normal
• AST and ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

• Creatinine normal OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris

Other:

• No ongoing or active infection
• No other concurrent serious systemic disorders (e.g., significant CNS illness) that would preclude study
• No concurrent psychiatric illness or social situations that would preclude study
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No other concurrent anticancer immunotherapy
• Concurrent hematologic growth factors for cytopenias allowed

Chemotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior anticancer chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas, carmustine, or mitomycin) and recovered

Endocrine therapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No concurrent anticancer hormonal therapy
• Concurrent oral contraceptives or postmenopausal hormone replacement allowed

Radiotherapy:

• Recovered from prior radiotherapy
• At least 2 weeks since prior palliative radiotherapy to bone or brain metastases
• At least 4 weeks since prior anticancer radiotherapy
• No concurrent anticancer radiotherapy

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• At least 4 weeks since prior anticancer therapy and recovered
• At least 4 weeks since prior investigational agents
• Any number of prior therapies allowed
• No other concurrent anticancer investigational or commercial agents
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients