DX-8951f in Treating Children With Advanced Solid Tumors or Lymphomas

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed advanced solid tumors, including brain tumors and lymphomas, that have failed standard therapy (surgery, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy, or chemotherapy) or for which no standard therapy exists

  * Histology requirement waived for brain stem gliomas

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 21 and under at diagnosis

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

* At least 8 weeks

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute neutrophil count at least 750/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 75,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin at least 8.5 g/dL

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
* SGOT or SGPT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases)

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN OR
* GFR at least 70 mL/min

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* No history of severe or life-threatening hypersensitivity to camptothecin analogs
* HIV negative
* No other concurrent severe or uncontrolled medical illness
* No systemic infection

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Recovered from prior immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* See Disease Characteristics

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior extensive radiotherapy involving cranial, whole pelvic, or at least 25% of bone marrow reserve
* Recovered from prior radiotherapy
* Concurrent localized radiotherapy for pain allowed

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from prior surgery

Other:

* No other concurrent antitumor therapy
* No concurrent drugs that induce or inhibit CYP3A enzyme