Antineoplaston Therapy in Treating Patients With Neuroendocrine Tumor That Is Metastatic or Unlikely to Respond to Surgery or Radiation Therapy

RATIONALE: Antineoplastons are naturally-occurring substances that may also be made in the laboratory. Antineoplastons may inhibit the growth of cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well antineoplaston therapy works in treating patients with neuroendocrine tumor that is metastatic or unlikely to respond to surgery or radiation therapy.

OBJECTIVES: * Provide treatment with antineoplastons A10 and AS2-1 for patients with metastatic or incurable neuroendocrine tumors. * Describe response, tolerance to, and side effects of this regimen in these patients. OUTLINE: This is an open-label study. Patients receive gradually escalating doses of antineoplastons A10 and AS2-1 by intravenous injection 6 times daily until the maximum tolerated dose is reached. Treatment continues for at least 2 months in the absence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression. Patients achieving complete response (CR) continue treatment for an additional 8 months after reaching CR. Tumors are measured every 2 months for 1 year and then every 3 months for 1 year. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 20-40 patients will be accrued for this study.