7-Hydroxystaurosporine and Irinotecan Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Solid Tumors or Triple Negative Breast Cancer (Currently Accruing Only Triple-negative Breast Cancer Patients Since 6/8/2007)

Inclusion Criteria:

* Part I (closed to accrual as of 6/8/2007)

  * Histologically confirmed solid tumor that is metastatic or unresectable for which standard curative measures do not exist or are no longer effective, including the following:

    * Gastrointestinal tract cancer
    * Lung cancer
    * Breast cancer
    * Ovarian cancer
    * Endometrial cancer
    * Cervical cancer
    * Prostate cancer
    * Head and neck cancer
  * Patients with or without measurable or evaluable disease allowed

    * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion \> 20 mm by conventional techniques or ≥ 10 mm with spiral CT scan

      * Tumor markers allowed for evaluable disease
      * Positive bone scan, osteoblastic metastases, and pleural or peritoneal effusions are not considered measurable or evaluable disease
  * No known brain metastases
* Part II

  * Histologically confirmed (either primary or the recurrent site) locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer not amendable to surgery

    * Measurable disease

      * For skin lesions, documentation by color photography and estimation of lesion size with a ruler are required
  * Must have undergone prior therapy with an anthracycline and a taxane either in the adjuvant or metastatic setting
  * CNS metastasis allowed provided stable disease (i.e., no evidence of local progression) ≥ 3 months after local therapy
  * Hormone receptor status:

    * Estrogen receptor negative
    * Progesterone receptor negative
    * HER-2 not amplified by fluorescence in situ hybridization
* Performance status - ECOG 0-2
* Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100%
* More than 12 weeks
* WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL
* Bilirubin normal
* AST/ALT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* No Gilbert's disease
* No chronic unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia
* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
* Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
* No symptomatic cardiac dysfunction
* No symptomatic pulmonary dysfunction
* Oxygen saturation at least 90% by pulse oximetry on room air at rest and after walking 6 minutes
* No insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
* No other uncontrolled concurrent illness
* No active or ongoing infection
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study entry
* No prior allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to UCN-01 or irinotecan
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No concurrent granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (filgrastim \[G-CSF\] or sargramostim \[GM-CSF\]) during the first course of study
* See Disease Characteristics (Part II)
* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
* Prior irinotecan allowed
* Less than 4 prior chemotherapy regimens in the adjuvant and/or metastatic setting (Part II)
* More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* Concurrent warfarin allowed
* Concurrent subcutaneous heparin allowed
* No other concurrent investigational agents
* No concurrent anticonvulsants (e.g., carbamazepine, phenobarbital, or phenytoin)
* No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients