DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed solid tumor

  • Metastatic or unresectable disease for which standard curative treatments do not exist or are no longer effective

• Clinically progressive disease documented by any of the following:

  • New area of malignant disease
  • Progression of soft-tissue metastases
  • At least 1 new metastatic deposit on technetium Tc 99m bone scintigraphy
  • Increases in prostate-specific antigen
• Lesions accessible for serial biopsy
• No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

• More than 3 months

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

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin normal
• AST/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
• No cardiac arrhythmia

Other:

• No other concurrent uncontrolled illness
• No ongoing or active infection
• No prior allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to 2-methoxyestradiol
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception for 1 month before, during, and for 1 month after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for mitomycin, nitrosoureas, or carboplatin)
• No concurrent chemotherapy for cancer

Endocrine therapy:

• Luteinizing-hormone releasing-hormone agonist therapy must be continued for patients with prostate cancer except those with prior orchiectomy

Radiotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy for cancer

Surgery:

• See Endocrine therapy

Other:

• Recovered from prior therapy
• No other concurrent therapy for cancer
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients