Role of Biomarkers in Muscle Pain and Joint Pain in Patients With Solid Tumors Receiving Paclitaxel

OBJECTIVES: Primary * To determine the change in urinary prostaglandin E metabolite (PGE-M) level after paclitaxel treatment in patients with a variety of solid tumor malignancies. * To determine whether a change in PGE-M level correlates with paclitaxel dose. * To determine whether the change in urinary PGE-M level correlates with patient reporting of pain, as measured by a visual analog scale and the Brief Pain Inventory short form (BPI-SF). Secondary * To determine whether leukotriene levels are affected by paclitaxel treatment. OUTLINE: At baseline (prior to the first dose of paclitaxel), patients complete a questionnaire about their baseline pain symptoms (including the Brief Pain Inventory short form and the visual analog scale); cigarette smoking status and second-hand smoke exposure; and routine use of any pain medications (including NSAIDs, selective COX-2 inhibitors, and opioid analgesics), corticosteroids, or leukotriene antagonists (montelukast or zafirlukast). Patients also complete questionnaires about their pain daily on days 2-7 after paclitaxel administration. Urine samples are collected at baseline for urinary prostaglandin E metabolite (PGE-M), urinary leukotriene E\_4 (LTE\_4), and urinary cotinine levels and on day 4 for urinary PGE-M and LTE\_4 levels.