Bortezomib and Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Brain Tumors or Other Solid Tumors That Have Not Responded to Treatment

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed solid tumors including the following

  * Recurrent high-grade glioma
  * Recurrent metastatic brain tumors
  * Recurrent primary brain tumor including primary CNS lymphoma
  * Other refractory solid tumors
* Unresectable disease for which standard curative or palliative measures do not exist or are no longer effective
* Measurable or nonmeasurable disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

* Karnofsky performance status 60-100%
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Total bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
* AST ≤ 4.0 x ULN
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Patient must be able to understand and is willing to sign a written informed consent document

Exclusion criteria:

* Any of the following conditions:

  * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months or New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure
  * Uncontrolled angina
  * Severe uncontrolled ventricular arrhythmias
  * ECG evidence of acute ischemia or active conduction system abnormalities

    * Any ECG abnormalities prior to study entry must be documented by the investigator as not medically relevant
* Serious medical or psychiatric illness that would, in the opinion of the investigator, potentially interfere with the completion of treatment
* History of sensitivity to boron or mannitol

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Inclusion criteria:

* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosourea-containing chemotherapy), immunotherapy, or radiotherapy and recovered
* More than 10 days since prior anticonvulsant drugs that induce hepatic metabolic enzymes for patients in group A
* Recovered from major surgery

  * Corticosteroids for cerebral edema allowed provided the patient is on a stable dose for at least 1 week

Exclusion criteria:

* Patients enrolled on another clinical trial
* HIV-positive patients on antiretroviral therapy
* Concurrent chemotherapy or radiotherapy
* Patient requires anti-seizure medication but is not on a stable dose and agent of anti-seizure medication