Epirubicin Plus Irinotecan in Treating Patients With Advanced Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically documented incurable malignancy for which there is no beneficial standard therapy
• * Locally unresectable or metastatic disease
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• At least 8 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2 times ULN
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
• Cardiovascular:
• Ejection fraction at least 50% by MUGA scan
• No congestive heart failure
• Other:
• Maintaining a reasonable state of nutrition
• No frequent vomiting or severe anorexia
• No weight loss greater than 10% of current body weight within the past 4 weeks
• No other concurrent medical illness that would preclude study
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No concurrent immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy:
• Prior doxorubicin allowed if cumulative dose no greater than 240 mg/m2
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• Not specified
• Other:
• Recovered from prior therapy