DX-8951f in Treating Children With Advanced Solid Tumors or Lymphomas

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of DX-8951f in treating children who have advanced solid tumors or lymphomas that have not responded to previous therapy.

OBJECTIVES: * Determine the maximum tolerated dose of exatecan mesylate (DX-8951f) with and without filgrastim (G-CSF) in pediatric patients with advanced solid tumors or lymphomas. * Determine the toxic effects, including dose-limiting toxicity, of exatecan mesylate in these patients. * Determine the pharmacokinetics of exatecan mesylate in these patients. * Determine the recommended dose of exatecan mesylate for phase II study. * Determine the antitumor activity of this regimen in these patients. OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of exatecan mesylate (DX-8951f). Patients are stratified according to prior treatment (minimally treated vs heavily treated). Patients receive exatecan mesylate IV over 30 minutes daily for 5 days. Patients in dose levels 5 and above also receive filgrastim (G-CSF) subcutaneously beginning on day 6 and continuing for at least 7 days or until blood counts recover. Treatment repeats every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cohorts of 1-6 patients receive escalating doses of exatecan mesylate with and without G-CSF until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which at least 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity. Patients are followed every 3 months. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 45 patients will be accrued for this study.