Mistletoe Lectin in Treating Patients With Refractory Advanced Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically proven progressive advanced solid tumor that is not amenable to standard therapy (i.e., resistant to standard therapy or for which no standard therapy exists)
* No clinically symptomatic CNS involvement

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

* At least 3 months

Hematopoietic:

* WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
* Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST and ALT less than 2 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases present)
* Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases present)

Renal:

* Creatinine less than 1.4 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

* No ECG abnormalities of clinical relevance

Other:

* No severe or unstable systemic disease or infection
* No circumstances (e.g., alcoholism or substance abuse) that would preclude study
* HIV negative
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior immunostimulating substances (e.g., biologic response modifiers or colony-stimulating factors)
* No concurrent immunostimulating substances (e.g., biologic response modifiers or colony-stimulating factors (except in life-threatening situations))

Chemotherapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior systemic steroids
* At least 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy
* No concurrent systemic steroids

Radiotherapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* Not specified

Other:

* No prior mistletoe preparations
* At least 4 weeks since prior investigational treatment
* No other concurrent anticancer agents
* No other concurrent investigational therapy