Gossypol, Paclitaxel, and Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Solid Tumors That Are Metastatic or Cannot Be Removed by Surgery

Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients must have histologically or cytologically confirmed malignancy that is metastatic and unresectable and for which standard curative or palliative measures do not exist or are no longer effective; patient may have previously treated or untreated disease
* Patients may have had no more than nine months of previous marrow damaging cytotoxic chemotherapy; examples include but are not limited to: platinum agents cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, BCNU, and mitomycin C; chemotherapy agents that are non-alkylators such as fluorouracil or taxanes will not be considered marrow damaging chemotherapy; patients must be at least 28 days from last prior chemotherapy or molecular therapy; at least six weeks from last chemotherapy if the regimen included BCNU or mitomycin C; it must be at least 2 weeks from last radiation therapy and less than a total of 30% of the bone marrow receiving radiation dose \> 3000 cGy; in addition, patients may not have received previous high-dose therapy requiring hematopoietic stem cell transplantation nor can they have received anti-cancer treatments involving radioactive pharmaceuticals
* Patients with non-Hodgkins lymphoma that is amenable to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with curative intent may participate only if stem cell transplant is refused or is not indicated
* ECOG performance status =\< 2, Karnofsky ≥ 60%
* Life expectancy of greater than 3 months
* Absolute Neutrophil Count ≥ 1,500/uL
* Platelets ≥ 100,000/uL
* Total bilirubin within normal institutional limits
* AST (SGOT)/ALT (SGPT) =\< 2.5 X institutional ULN
* Creatinine within normal institutional limits OR a measured creatinine clearance by 24 hour urine collection greater than 60 mL/min; a calculated creatinine clearance by Cockcroft-Gault Formula is acceptable in lieu of a measured value
* All Patients must have Measurable or Evaluable Disease per RECIST Criteria
* The effects of AT-101 on the developing human fetus are unknown; for this reason and because other therapeutic agents used in this trial are known to be teratogenic, women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control) prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation, and for at least one month following the last dose of AT-101; should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately
* Patients with previously treated brain metastases who are clinically and radiographically stable or improved at least four weeks after completion of radiation therapy and are off steroids are eligible; an MRI of the brain or CT scan of the head with contrast must be performed at baseline for patients with history of and/or symptoms suspicious of brain metastases
* Patients must sign informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Treatment with chemotherapy, hormonal agents (except LHRH agonists/antagonists) used for their anti-cancer activity, or biologic response modifiers within 4 weeks (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) prior to entering the study
* Failure to recover fully (as judged by the investigator) from prior surgical procedures, or failure to recover from adverse events due to agents administered more than 4 weeks earlier
* Concurrent treatment with an investigational agent other than the investigational agent(s) used in this study OR treatment within 4 weeks of study entry with any investigational agent(s) or device(s)
* Any prior use of racemic gossypol or AT-101
* History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to AT-101 or other agents used in study
* Requirement for routine use of hematopoietic growth factors (including granulocyte colony stimulating factor, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor, or interleukin-11) or platelet transfusions to maintain absolute neutrophil counts or platelets counts above the required thresholds for study entry; use of erythropoietin stimulating agents and RBCs prior to study enrollment is allowed
* Neuropathy is a well described side effect of paclitaxel and carboplatin; patients may not have baseline peripheral neuropathy \>= Grade 2
* Any condition (e.g., gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication or a requirement for IV alimentation, prior surgical procedures affecting absorption, or active peptic ulcer disease) that impairs their ability to swallow and retain AT-101 tablets
* Patients with malabsorption syndrome, disease significantly affecting gastrointestinal function, or resection of the stomach or small bowel within the last three months are excluded; subjects with ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, or a partial or complete small bowel obstruction are also excluded
* Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would affect safety or limit compliance with study requirements
* Pregnant women are excluded from this study because the effects of AT-101 on the developing human fetus are unknown, but could potentially include teratogenic or abortifacient effects; because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with AT-101, breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated with AT-101; these potential risks may also apply to other agents used in this study
* HIV-positive patients on combination antiretroviral therapy are ineligible because of the potential for pharmacokinetic interactions with AT-101 or other agents used in this study; in addition, these patients are at increased risk of lethal infections when treated with marrow-suppressive therapy; appropriate studies will be undertaken in patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy when indicated
* Patients with \> grade 2 symptomatic hypercalcemia
* Patients with a myocardial infarction (MI) or cardiac (heart) surgery within the past 3 months