3-AP Plus Cisplatin and Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed progressive advanced or metastatic cancer

  * Failed 1 or more prior standard therapies for disease OR
  * Unlikely to respond to any currently available therapies
* Measurable or evaluable disease
* No active CNS metastases

  * Previously treated CNS metastases allowed if no evidence of new CNS metastases and stable for at least 2 months

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

* More than 3 months

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
* No active bleeding or coagulation disorder (occult blood for gastrointestinal cancer allowed)

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
* ALT/AST no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases present)
* Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 3 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases present)
* Albumin at least 3.0 g/dL
* PT/PTT no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

* No active heart disease
* No myocardial infarction within the past 3 months
* No symptomatic coronary artery disease, heart block, or uncontrolled congestive heart failure

Pulmonary:

* No moderate to severe compromise in pulmonary function

Other:

* No mental deficits and/or psychiatric history that would preclude study
* No active infection
* No pre-existing severe hearing impairment
* No pre-existing grade 2 or greater neuropathy
* No prior severe allergic reaction to study drugs
* No other life-threatening illness
* No chronic toxic effects from prior chemotherapy greater than grade I
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 18 months after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Concurrent hematopoietic growth factors allowed except if used prophylactically during first course of study therapy

Chemotherapy:

* More than 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosourea or mitomycin) and recovered
* More than 6 months since prior combination cisplatin and paclitaxel
* Prior cisplatin or paclitaxel as single agents allowed
* Prior 3-AP allowed

Endocrine therapy:

* Not specified

Radiotherapy:

* More than 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* Concurrent radiotherapy to a single site of progressive disease allowed if site requires treatment within the first course of study therapy

Surgery:

* Not specified

Other:

* More than 3 weeks since any therapy for malignancy and recovered
* No other concurrent investigational drugs without consent of sponsor