7-Hydroxystaurosporine and Irinotecan Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Solid Tumors or Triple Negative Breast Cancer (Currently Accruing Only Triple-negative Breast Cancer Patients Since 6/8/2007)

This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of giving 7-hydroxystaurosporine together with irinotecan hydrochloride in treating patients with metastatic or unresectable solid tumors, including triple-negative breast cancer (currently enrolling only patients with triple-negative breast cancer since 6/8/2007). Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving 7-hydroxystaurosporine together with irinotecan hydrochloride may help kill more cancer cells by making tumor cells more sensitive to the drug.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the maximum tolerated dose of UCN-01 (7-hydroxystaurosporine) and irinotecan (irinotecan hydrochloride) in patients with resistant solid tumors. (Part I \[closed to accrual as of 6/8/2007\]) II. Determine the dose-limiting toxicity of this regimen in these patients. (Part I \[closed to accrual as of 6/8/2007\]) III. Determine the types of toxic effects of this regimen in these patients. (Part I \[closed to accrual as of 6/8/2007\]) IV. Determine the anti-tumor activity in terms of overall response rate (partial response \[PR\] and complete response \[CR\]), clinical benefit rate (PR, CR, and stable disease), and time to disease progression in patients with estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-negative, and HER-2 not amplified (triple negative) locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer treated with this regimen. (Part II) V. Determine the side effect profile of this regimen in patients with triple negative recurrent breast cancer. (Part II) SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. Determine any anti-tumor activity of this regimen in these patients. (Part I \[closed to accrual as of 6/8/2007\]) II. Determine the pharmacokinetics of this regimen in these patients. (Part I \[closed to accrual as of 6/8/2007\]) III. Determine the activity of the serum α-acid glycoprotein and correlate this level with free UCN-01 concentrations. (Part I \[closed to accrual as of 6/8/2007\]) IV. Determine the in vivo mechanisms of UCN-01 activity in these patients. OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study. PART I: Patients receive irinotecan hydrochloride intravenously (IV) over 90 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 and 7-hydroxystaurosporine IV over 3 hours on days 2 and 23. Courses repeat every 42 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of irinotecan hydrochloride and 7-hydroxystaurosporine until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity. Blood samples are collected periodically during study treatment. PART II: (treatment of triple negative recurrent breast cancer): Patients receive irinotecan hydrochloride IV and 7-hydroxystaurosporine IV as in part I at the MTD and undergo blood sample collection.