Ecteinascidin 743 in Treating Children With Refractory Solid Tumors

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed malignant solid tumor at original diagnosis Refractory to standard treatment or no curative therapy available No CNS tumor No bone marrow metastases (for less heavily pretreated stratum only)
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: At least 365 days to 17 years Performance status: Karnofsky 50-100% (for patients older than 10 years) Lansky 50-100% (for patients 10 years and younger) Life expectancy: At least 8 weeks Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 (transfusion independent) Hemoglobin at least 8.0 g/dL (RBC transfusion allowed) Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than normal SGPT no greater than 2.5 times normal Albumin at least 2 g/dL Alkaline phosphatase normal Gamma glutamyl transferase less than 2.5 times normal Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times normal OR Creatinine clearance or GFR at least lower limit of normal Other: Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception Creatine phosphokinase less than 2 times normal No uncontrolled infection Seizure disorder allowed if well controlled on anticonvulsants No CNS toxicity greater than grade II
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: At least 1 week since prior biologic therapy and recovered At least 1 week since prior growth factor therapy At least 6 months since prior peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and no evidence of graft-vs-host disease For less heavily pretreated stratum: No prior peripheral blood stem cell transplantation Chemotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior myelosuppressive chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas) and recovered No prior ecteinascidin 743 For less heavily pretreated stratum: No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: At least 2 weeks since prior local palliative radiotherapy (small port) At least 6 weeks since prior substantial bone marrow radiotherapy At least 6 months since prior craniospinal radiotherapy or radiotherapy to 50% or greater of pelvis For less heavily pretreated stratum: No prior craniospinal irradiation of 18Gy or greater No prior irradiation to greater than 50% of pelvis Recovered from toxic effects of prior radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified Other: No concurrent foods or medication that interferes with P-450 metabolism Anticonvulsants allowed