Talotrexin in Treating Patients With Advanced or Recurrent Solid Tumors

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of malignant solid tumor
• * Metastatic or inoperable disease
• No known curative or survival-prolonging palliative therapy exists OR failed these prior therapies
• No leukemia
• No primary CNS tumor
• No third-space fluid collection (i.e., pleural effusion, ascites)
• * Clinically insignificant small pleural or peritoneal effusions identified by CT scan, MRI, or other diagnostic test allowed
• No active\* brain metastases, including the following:
• * Evidence of cerebral edema by CT scan or MRI
• * Progression since prior imaging study
• * Requirement for steroids
• * Clinical symptoms of/from brain metastases NOTE: \*Treated and/or stable brain metastasis allowed provided patient is asymptomatic
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy
• At least 2 months
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• RBC folate ≥ lower limit of normal
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin normal
• SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• Renal
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other uncontrolled serious medical or psychiatric illness
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• No prior bone marrow transplantation
• Chemotherapy
• More than 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)
• Endocrine therapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• Radiotherapy
• More than 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery
• At least 3 weeks since prior surgery
• Other
• Recovered from prior therapy
• More than 3 weeks since prior antifolate therapy