Azacitidine Plus Phenylbutyrate in Treating Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors That Have Not Responded to Previous Treatment

Inclusion criteria:

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic malignant solid tumor not amenable to curative therapy

  * Lymphoma allowed
* Progressive disease
* Evaluable disease
* No CNS metastases by CT scan or MRI

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Hemoglobin at least 8 g/dL (may be achieved by transfusion)
* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 2 mg/dL (unless due to hemolysis or Gilbert's syndrome)
* SGOT and SGPT less than 2 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL

Other:

* No active infection
* HIV negative
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception for 2 weeks before, during, and 3 months after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Not specified

Chemotherapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic disease and recovered

Endocrine therapy:

* Not specified

Radiotherapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

* Not specified