OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Determine the maximum tolerated dose and recommended phase II dose of flavopiridol in combination with gemcitabine and irinotecan in patients with unresectable or metastatic solid tumors.
• Determine the toxicity profile of this regimen in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of flavopiridol.

Patients receive gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes followed by irinotecan IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 15. Patients also receive flavopiridol IV over 60 minutes on days 2 and 16. Treatment repeats every 28 days for up to 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of flavopiridol until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 3-24 patients will be accrued for this study within 8-12 months.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed solid tumor that is metastatic or unresectable
• Standard curative or palliative measures do not exist or are no longer effective
• No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy

• More than 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin normal
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal

• Creatinine normal OR
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular

• No venous thrombosis within the past 6 months
• No thrombotic cerebrovascular accident within the past 6 months
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia

Other

• No ongoing or active infection
• No prior allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to study agents
• No other concurrent uncontrolled medical condition that would preclude study participation
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study participation
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Prior biologic therapy allowed

Chemotherapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered

Endocrine therapy

• Prior endocrine therapy allowed

Radiotherapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery

• Prior surgery allowed

Other

• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients