An Open Label, Multiple Dose, Dose-Rising Clinical Trial of the Safety of ABX-EGF in Patients With Renal, Prostate, Pancreatic, Non-Small-Cell Lung, Colorectal, or Esophageal Cancer

Study start date: April 1, 2000

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following: Renal cell cancer (RCC) Prior nephrectomy required Prostate cancer Failed prior primary therapy (e.g., surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy) Failed prior hormonal therapy (e.g., antiandrogen, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone inhibitor, or orchiectomy) Pancreatic cancer Failed at least 1 prior standard therapy regimen for unresectable metastatic disease Non-small cell lung cancer Failed at least 1 prior standard therapy regimen for unresectable metastatic disease Colorectal cancer Received 1 or more prior chemotherapy regimen(s) for advanced metastatic disease Esophageal cancer Failed prior primary therapy (e.g., surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy) Gastroesophageal junction cancer Evaluable disease Epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression Tumor tissue must yield the sum of 1+, 2+, or 3+ staining in at least 10% of evaluated tumor cells No uncontrolled brain metastases No evidence of disease progression or regression after a 30-day washout period PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100% OR ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,000/mm^3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm^3 Hepatic: AST/ALT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (3 times ULN for liver metastases) Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN (3 times ULN for liver metastases) Renal: Creatinine less than 2.2 mg/dL NCI renal toxicity no greater than grade 2 No hypercalcemia (antihypercalcemic therapy allowed) Cardiovascular: Ejection fraction at least 45% by MUGA No abnormal ECG or MUGA No myocardial infarction within the past year Pulmonary: No abnormal chest x-ray FEV_1 greater than 50% of predicted Other: No known allergy to ingredients of study drug No known allergy to Staphylococcus aureus Protein A HIV negative No chronic medical or psychiatric condition that would preclude study compliance Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after study participation PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: At least 30 days since prior biologic therapy (e.g., antibodies, cytokines, or co-stimulatory pathway inhibitors) No other concurrent biologic therapy Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 6 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered No prior chemotherapy for RCC No prior anthracyclines No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: See Disease Characteristics Concurrent steroids allowed Concurrent hormonal therapy allowed Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics No prior mediastinal radiotherapy No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Recovered from any recent prior surgery Other: At least 30 days since prior investigational drug or device At least 30 days since prior systemic therapy No other concurrent investigational drugs No other concurrent systemic agents or cancer therapy