Perifosine in Treating Patients With Refractory Solid Tumors or Hematologic Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed solid tumor, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, or Hodgkin's lymphoma that has no effective standard therapeutic option but requires systemic therapy
* No history of CNS neoplasms
* For prostate cancer:

  * Tumor progression during blockade of testicular and adrenal androgens
  * At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide or other antiandrogens without disease improvement
  * Leuprolide or other gonadotropin-releasing hormones should be maintained in patients without an orchiectomy
  * Testosterone in the castrate range
* For breast cancer:

  * At least 4 weeks since any prior hormonal therapy with evidence of disease progression

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* Over 18

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Platelet count greater than 50,000/mm\^3
* Absolute granulocyte count greater than 500/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
* SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2.5 times normal

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
* Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

* No history of unstable or newly diagnosed angina pectoris
* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
* No New York Heart Association class II-IV heart disease

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* HIV negative
* No recent acute or chronic gastrointestinal conditions (e.g., stomach ulcer or enteritis) that might affect tolerability or drug absorption
* No allergic reaction to any medication with a structure similar to perifosine
* No pre-existing retinal disease or pathologic baseline electrooculogram
* No cataracts that would interfere with normal vision or require medical intervention
* No other serious concurrent illness that would preclude assessment of drug effect

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Not specified

Chemotherapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
* At least 2 months since prior UCN-01
* More than 3 months since prior suramin

Endocrine therapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No concurrent corticosteroids except for physiological replacement or as antiemetics

Radiotherapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy (6 weeks for bone-seeking radioisotopes) and recovered

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics

Other:

* No other concurrent antineoplastic therapies