SB939 in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic solid tumor

  * Refractory to standard therapy or for which conventional therapy is not reliably effective

Exclusion criteria:

* Patients with documented CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

* ECOG performance status of 0, 1, or 2
* Must have a life expectancy of ≥ 12 weeks
* Granulocytes (AGC) ≥ 1.5 x 10\^9/L
* Platelets ≥ 100 x 10\^9/L
* Bilirubin ≤ upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 x ULN (\< 5 x ULN if liver metastases are present)
* Serum creatinine ≤ 1.2 x ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
* QTc ≤ 450 msec
* LVEF ≥ 50% by ECHO or MUGA
* Troponin I or T ≤ ULN
* Must be within 1½ hour's driving distance

Exclusion criteria:

* Pathologic cardiac arrhythmia requiring active treatment

  * Patients with a history of arrhythmia must be \> 12 months since last treatment with no recurrence of arrhythmia in the interval
* Inability to take oral medication

  * Patients must be able to swallow SB939 capsules and have no gastrointestinal abnormalities (e.g., bowel obstruction or previous gastric resection) which would lead to inadequate absorption of SB939
* Pregnant or lactating women

  * Urine or serum B-HCG must be negative
* Women or men of child-bearing potential unless using effective contraception
* Presence of any clinically significant co-morbidities (i.e., pulmonary disease, active CNS disease, or active infection)
* Presence of any other significant CNS disorder that would hamper the patient's compliance
* Presence of any significant psychiatric disorder that would hamper the patient's compliance
* Other acute or chronic medical condition, psychiatric condition, or laboratory abnormality that may increase the risks associated with study participation/study drug administration or may interfere with the interpretation of study results
* Pre-existing peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
* Known HIV or hepatitis B or C infection

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Inclusion criteria:

* Previous anticancer treatment must be discontinued at least 28 days prior to the first dose of study treatment (42 days \[6 weeks\] for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C)
* At least 28 days since prior radiation therapy restricted to ≤ 30% of the bone marrow and recovered from toxic effects

  * Exceptions may be made for low-dose nonmyelosuppressive radiotherapy
* Must be ≥ 14 days since any major surgery
* Pre-existing bisphosphonate or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analog therapy (for men with hormone refractory prostate cancer) may be continued during study participation

Exclusion criteria:

* Previous treatment with a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor
* Treatment with another investigational therapy within 28 days prior to study entry
* Other concurrent anticancer treatment or investigational therapy
* Concurrent agents with a known risk of Torsade de Pointes
* Concurrent G-CSF, GM-CSF, or other hematopoietic growth factors may not be used as a substitute for a scheduled dose reduction (may be used in the management of acute toxicity)