AFP464 in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Refractory Solid Tumors That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologic proof of cancer that is now unresectable
* Patients with metastatic solid tumors who are refractory to available therapy or for whom standard systemic therapy does not exist
* Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1500/μL
* Platelets (PLT) \>= 100,000/μL
* Total bilirubin =\< upper limits of normal (ULN)
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) =\< 2.5 x ULN
* Creatinine =\< 1.25 x ULN; if above 1.25 x ULN calculated creatinine clearance must be \>= 60 ml/min
* Hemoglobin (Hgb) \>= 9.0 g/dl
* Normal diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) or the presence of an asymptomatic grade 1 DLCO; NOTE: DLCO must be corrected for hemoglobin
* Ability to provide informed consent
* Willingness to return to Mayo Clinic for follow-up
* Life expectancy \>= 12 weeks
* Willingness to provide the biologic specimens (blood and urine) as required by the protocol
* COHORT II (MTD) PATIENTS ONLY:
* Patients with breast, ovarian, peritoneal or renal cell carcinoma
* Tumor that is amenable for biopsy taken during Cycle 1 at 24 +/- 4 hours following the end of AFP-464 infusion
* International normalized ratio (INR) =\< 1.4
* Patients taking aspirin: discontinue \>= 5 days prior to procedure
* Patients receiving IV Heparin: discontinue 4 hours prior to the procedure and an APTT measurement obtained if clinically indicated
* Patients receiving subcutaneous or low molecular weight heparin: discontinue for 8 hours prior to procedure

Exclusion Criteria:

* Known standard therapy for the patient's disease that is potentially curative or definitely capable of extending life expectancy
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 3 or 4
* Prior thoracic radiotherapy
* Symptomatic pulmonary disease
* Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, seizure disorder, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
* Any of the following prior therapies:

  * Chemotherapy =\< 4 weeks prior to study entry
  * Mitomycin C/nitrosoureas =\< 6 weeks prior to study entry
  * Immunotherapy =\< 4 weeks prior to study entry
  * Biologic therapy =\< 4 weeks prior to study entry
  * Radiation therapy =\< 4 weeks prior to study entry
  * Radiation to \> 25% of bone marrow
* Failure to fully recover from acute, reversible effects of prior chemotherapy regardless of interval since last treatment
* Uncontrolled brain metastases; Note: Brain metastases are not permitted on study unless the metastases have been treated by surgery or radiotherapy, and the patient has been neurologically stable and off steroids for \>= 4 weeks
* Any of the following:

  * Pregnant women: Females of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test =\< 7 days prior to registration
  * Nursing women
  * Men or women of childbearing potential who are unwilling to employ adequate contraception (condoms, diaphragm, birth control pills, injections, intrauterine device \[IUD\], or abstinence, etc.)
* Women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation; should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately
* History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to AFP464
* Other concurrent chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, or any ancillary therapy considered investigational (utilized for a non-FDA-approved indication and in the context of a research investigation)
* Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients on combination antiretroviral therapy
* Active smokers and those who have smoked =\< 30 days prior to registration, and patients unwilling or unable to refrain completely from smoking while on study