Ixabepilone and Pemetrexed/Solid Tumors

Inclusion Criteria:

* SWOG performance status of 0-2.
* Projected life expectancy of at least 3 months.
* Female and or male age 18 years and over.
* Provision of informed consent prior to any study-related procedures.
* Female patients must not be pregnant due to the potential mutagenicity. and teratogenicity of this treatment. A pregnancy test must be administered 7 days prior to administration of therapy to women of childbearing potential.
* Negative pregnancy test for women of childbearing potential.
* Patients must agree to use some form of contraception while on this study at initiation and for the duration of participation in the study. Sexually active males must also use a reliable and appropriate method of contraception. Post-menopausal women must be amenorrheic for at least 12 months to be considered of non-childbearing potential.
* Patients must have recovered from acute toxicities from previous surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
* Adequate organ function defined as:

  * ANC \> 1500/mm3
  * Platelet count \> 100,000 cells/mm3
  * Hemoglobin \> 9.0g/dL
  * Serum creatinine \< 1.5 mg/dl or creatinine clearance \> 45 mL/minute
  * (calculated by Cockcroft-Gault formula.)
  * Hepatic function: Patients must have adequate liver functions: AST or ALT \< 2.5 X upper limit of normal (ULN), alkaline phosphatase \< 2.5 X upper limit of normal. In patients with bone metastasis and no evidence of liver metastasis and bilirubin \< upper limit of normal an alkaline phosphatase \< 5 ULN will be allowed
  * Serum Bilirubin \< 1.5 mg/dL
* Peripheral neuropathy grade 0-1.
* No other concomitant therapy directed at the cancer is allowed.
* The ability to interrupt NSAIDS 2 days before (5 days for long-acting NSAIDs), the day of, and 2 days following administration of pemetrexed.
* The ability to take folic acid, Vitamin B12, and dexamethasone according to protocol.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Laboratory results:

  * Serum bilirubin \> 1.5 the upper limit of reference range (ULRR)
  * Serum creatinine \>1.5 x ULRR or creatinine clearance \< 45 mL/minute (calculated by Cockcroft-Gault formula)
* Women who are currently pregnant or breast feeding.
* Receipt of any investigational agents within 30 days prior to commencing study treatment.
* Last dose of prior chemotherapy discontinued less than 4 weeks before the start of study therapy.
* Last radiation therapy within the last 4 weeks before the start of study therapy, except palliative radiotherapy.
* Prior radiation must not have included ≥ 30% of major bone marrow containing areas (pelvis, lumbar spine).
* Any unresolved toxicity greater than CTC grade 1 from previous anti- cancer therapy, excluding alopecia.
* CTC Grade 1 or greater neuropathy (motor or sensory) at study entry.
* Hematologic function with absolute neutrophils ≤ 1500/mm3 and/or platelets \< 100,000/mm 3.
* Hepatic function with serum bilirubin greater than the upper institutional limits of normal, ALT and AST \> 2.5 times the upper institutional limits of normal.
* Presence of third space fluid which cannot be controlled by drainage.