Irinotecan Plus Gemcitabine in Treating Patients With Unresectable or Metastatic Solid Tumors

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed metastatic or surgically unresectable solid tumor, having received the following maximum number of prior therapies for advanced disease:
• * Bladder cancer - no more than 1 prior therapy
• * Breast cancer - no more than 2 prior therapies
• * Colorectal cancer - no more than 1 prior therapy
• * Kidney cancer - no prior therapy
• * Lung cancer - no more than 1 prior therapy
• * Pancreatic cancer - no prior therapy
• Bidimensionally measurable disease outside a previously irradiated field
• * At least 2 cm x 2 cm
• No known bone metastases
• CNS involvement allowed if successfully controlled by surgery or radiotherapy and not requiring corticosteroids
• Hormone receptor status:
• * Not specified
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Menopausal status:
• Not specified
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• At least 3 months
• Hematopoietic:
• Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL regardless of liver involvement secondary to tumor
• SGOT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (no greater than 5 times ULN if liver metastases present)
• No known Gilbert's disease
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.8 mg/dL
• Calcium less than 12.0 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular:
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No congestive heart failure requiring therapy
• Other:
• No active uncontrolled bacterial, viral (including HIV), or invasive fungal infection
• No psychiatric disorders that would prevent compliance
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No history of seizures
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No concurrent sargramostim (GM-CSF)
• No concurrent immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior irinotecan, topotecan, or gemcitabine
• Prior adjuvant chemotherapy allowed, if at least 1 year between last dose of adjuvant chemotherapy and recurrence of cancer
• No other concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to less than 30% of bone marrow
• No prior whole pelvic radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Other:
• No concurrent phenytoin, phenobarbital, or other antiepileptic prophylaxis