Sirolimus in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed solid tumor malignancy

  * Metastatic or inoperable disease
  * Failed curative or standard palliative therapy OR no such therapy exists
* Evaluable or measurable disease

  * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
* Tumor amenable to serial biopsies
* No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG 0-1
* Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
* WBC \> 3,500/mm³
* Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mm³
* Hemoglobin \> 9 g/dL
* Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
* Bilirubin ≤ 2 mg/dL
* ALT and AST ≤ 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN
* Triglycerides \< 2 times ULN
* Total cholesterol \< 2 times ULN
* Willing to undergo serial tumor biopsies and normal skin biopsies
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No immunodeficiency
* No gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication
* No requirement for IV alimentation
* No active peptic ulcer disease
* No active infections
* No other uncontrolled medical conditions that could potentially increase the risk of toxicities or complications of this therapy
* No concurrent or second malignancy within the past 5 years
* No clinically significant cardiovascular disease, including any of the following:

  * Myocardial infarction within the past 12 months
  * Unstable angina
  * Peripheral vascular disease ≥ grade 2
  * Uncontrolled congestive heart failure
  * Uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., systolic blood pressure \[BP\] \> 170 mm Hg, diastolic BP \> 95 mm Hg)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* Recovered from prior anticancer therapy

  * No unresolved chronic toxicity \> CTC grade 2
* No prior surgical procedures affecting absorption
* More than 4 weeks since prior surgery except minor procedures (e.g., dental work or skin biopsy)
* More than 1 month since prior participation in an investigational drug trial
* More than 1 month since prior chemotherapy
* No concurrent use of any of the following:

  * Phenytoin
  * Carbamazepine
  * Barbiturates
  * Rifampin
  * Phenobarbital
  * Cyclosporine
  * Clarithromycin
  * Diltiazen
  * Clotrimazole
  * Ketoconazole
  * Fluconazole
  * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
  * Cimetidine
  * Grapefruit juice
* No concurrent immunosuppressants
* No other concurrent investigational or commercial agents or therapies for this malignancy