Gefitinib and Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors or Colorectal Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Phase I (closed as of 5/30/02):

  * Histologically confirmed metastatic or unresectable solid tumor for which standard curative or palliative measures do not exist or are no longer effective
* Phase II:

  * Histologically confirmed metastatic or unresectable colorectal adenocarcinoma
* Measurable disease or assessable but nonmeasurable disease (including ascites, pleural/pericardial effusions, lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis, inflammatory breast disease, abdominal masses (not followed by CT scan/MRI), or cystic lesions)

  * Disease characterized only by elevated serum tumor marker allowed
* No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-2 OR
* Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

* More than 3 months

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm \^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
* AST/ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

* Creatinine normal OR
* Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No unstable angina pectoris
* No cardiac arrhythmia

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No ongoing or active infection
* No peripheral neuropathy
* No prior allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to gefitinib or other study agents
* No other concurrent uncontrolled illness
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* No prior bone marrow or stem cell support with high-dose chemotherapy
* At least 24 hours since prior colony-stimulating growth factors

Chemotherapy:

* See Biologic therapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
* No more than 3 prior chemotherapy regimens

Endocrine therapy:

* At least 2 weeks since prior hormonal therapy except megestrol for anorexia/cachexia

Radiotherapy:

* No prior pelvic or whole abdominal radiotherapy
* At least 4 weeks since other prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

* At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery (e.g., laparotomy) and recovered

Other:

* At least 4 weeks since prior investigational therapy
* No other concurrent investigational or commercial anticancer agents
* No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients