BCX-1777 in Treating Patients With Refractory Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following:

  • Hematologic malignancy that is refractory to at least 1 prior curative treatment

  • Non-hematologic tumor that is refractory to at least 2 prior therapies, with or without measurable disease, including the following:

    • Gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma of 1 of the following sites:

      • Pancreatic
      • Biliary
      • Gastric
      • Colorectal
      • Esophageal
    • Melanoma
    • Ovarian cancer
    • Astrocytoma brain tumor

• Not immediately eligible for any other treatment that would be potentially curative or life-prolonging, in the opinion of the investigator

  • Patients who may be candidates for future bone marrow transplantation are eligible
• No brain metastases (other than astrocytomas)
• No clinically significant pleural effusion
• No complete tumor obstruction (e.g., bronchus, ureter, or bowel)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 50-100%

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• WBC at least 3,500/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count greater than 50,000/mm^3
• Hematocrit stable without the need for transfusion (epoetin alfa support allowed)

Hepatic

• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (unless due to Gilbert's syndrome)
• SGOT and SGPT less than 2 times ULN
• No active hepatitis B or C

Renal

• Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min

Cardiovascular

• No American Heart Association class III or IV cardiac disease

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• HIV negative
• No active systemic infection requiring IV antibiotics

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Not specified

Chemotherapy

• Not specified

Endocrine therapy

• Concurrent corticosteroids allowed provided the patient is on a stable regimen

Radiotherapy

• Not specified

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• Recovered from prior therapy

  • No grade 2-4 toxicity
• More than 3 weeks since prior antineoplastic and/or investigational therapy
• No other concurrent systemic antineoplastic or investigational therapy