Monoclonal Antibody ABX-EGF in Treating Patients With Renal (Kidney), Prostate, Pancreatic, Non-Small Cell Lung, Colon or Rectal, Esophageal, or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following:
• •* Renal cell cancer (RCC)
• •* Prior nephrectomy required
• •* Prostate cancer
• •* Failed prior primary therapy (e.g., surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy)
• •* Failed prior hormonal therapy (e.g., antiandrogen, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone inhibitor, or orchiectomy)
• •* Pancreatic cancer
• •* Failed at least 1 prior standard therapy regimen for unresectable metastatic disease
• •* Non-small cell lung cancer
• •* Failed at least 1 prior standard therapy regimen for unresectable metastatic disease
• •* Colorectal cancer
• •* Received 1 or more prior chemotherapy regimen(s) for advanced metastatic disease
• •* Esophageal cancer
• •* Failed prior primary therapy (e.g., surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy)
• •* Gastroesophageal junction cancer
• •Evaluable disease
• •Epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression
• •* Tumor tissue must yield the sum of 1+, 2+, or 3+ staining in at least 10% of evaluated tumor cells
• •No uncontrolled brain metastases
• •No evidence of disease progression or regression after a 30-day washout period
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •18 and over
• •Performance status:
• •Karnofsky 70-100% OR
• •ECOG 0-1
• •Life expectancy:
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic:
• •Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,000/mm\^3
• •Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic:
• •AST/ALT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (3 times ULN for liver metastases)
• •Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN (3 times ULN for liver metastases)
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine less than 2.2 mg/dL
• •NCI renal toxicity no greater than grade 2
• •No hypercalcemia (antihypercalcemic therapy allowed)
• •Cardiovascular:
• •Ejection fraction at least 45% by MUGA
• •No abnormal ECG or MUGA
• •No myocardial infarction within the past year
• •Pulmonary:
• •No abnormal chest x-ray
• •FEV\_1 greater than 50% of predicted
• •Other:
• •No known allergy to ingredients of study drug
• •No known allergy to Staphylococcus aureus Protein A
• •HIV negative
• •No chronic medical or psychiatric condition that would preclude study compliance
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after study participation
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •At least 30 days since prior biologic therapy (e.g., antibodies, cytokines, or co-stimulatory pathway inhibitors)
• •No other concurrent biologic therapy
• •Chemotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 6 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• •No prior chemotherapy for RCC
• •No prior anthracyclines
• •No concurrent chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •Concurrent steroids allowed
• •Concurrent hormonal therapy allowed
• •Radiotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •No prior mediastinal radiotherapy
• •No concurrent radiotherapy
• •Surgery:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •Recovered from any recent prior surgery
• •Other:
• •At least 30 days since prior investigational drug or device
• •At least 30 days since prior systemic therapy
• •No other concurrent investigational drugs
• •No other concurrent systemic agents or cancer therapy