CCI-779 in Treating Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Part I:

* Histologically proven advanced solid tumors that are refractory or for which no curative therapy exists
* No CNS metastases, peritumoral edema, or symptomatic brain metastases (part I)
* Measurable or evaluable disease

Part II:

* Histologically proven recurrent gliomas or brain metastases for which no curative therapy exists
* Receiving anticonvulsants
* Measurable or evaluable disease

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 at least 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL
* AST or ALT less than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (less than 5 times ULN if liver metastases)

Renal:

* Creatinine less than 2 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

* No unstable angina
* No myocardial infarction within past 6 months
* No maintenance therapy for life-threatening arrhythmias

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* HIV negative
* No active infection or other serious concurrent illness
* Triglycerides no greater than 300 mg/dL
* Cholesterol no greater than 350 mg/dL
* No known hypersensitivity to macrolide antibiotics (e.g., clarithromycin, erythromycin, or azithromycin)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Not specified

Chemotherapy:

* At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks since nitrosoureas and mitomycin)
* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* Concurrent corticosteroids used to reduce edema in patients with primary or metastatic CNS tumors allowed
* No concurrent hormonal therapy

Radiotherapy:

* At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* Not specified

Other:

* At least 1 month since prior investigational agents
* At least 3 weeks since prior immunosuppressive therapy
* No concurrent anticonvulsant therapy (part I)
* No concurrent immunosuppressive therapy (e.g., terfenadine, cisapride, astemizole, pimozide)
* No known agents that inhibit or induce cytochrome p450