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RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as DJ-927 and capecitabine, use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of DJ-927 and capecitabine in treating patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors. OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine the maximum tolerated dose of DJ-927 and capecitabine in patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors. * Determine the dose-limiting and non-dose-limiting toxic effects of this regimen in these patients. Secondary * Determine the toxicity profile of this regimen in these patients. * Determine the possible pharmacokinetic interactions of this regimen in these patients. * Determine the antitumor activity of this regimen in these patients. OUTLINE: This is an open-label, dose-escalation, nonrandomized, multicenter study. * Course 1: Patients receive oral DJ-927 once on day 1 and oral capecitabine once on days 0 and 1 and twice daily on days 2-14. * Course 2: Patients receive DJ-927 as in course 1 and oral capecitabine twice daily on days 2-15. * Course 3 and all subsequent courses: Patients receive DJ-927 as in course 1 and oral capecitabine twice daily on days 1-14. All courses repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of DJ-927 and capecitabine 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. A minimum of 6 patients receive treatment at the MTD. Patients are followed every 3 months. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 30-40 patients will be accrued for this study within 18 months.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed solid tumor * Locally advanced or metastatic disease * Minimally pretreated * No symptomatic brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy * At least 3 months Hematopoietic * Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases are present) * Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times ULN Renal * Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN Gastrointestinal * No prior chronic diarrhea * No swallowing and/or malabsorption problems * No diarrhea (excess of 2-3 stools/day above normal frequency in the past month) Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * HIV negative * No prior severe or life-threatening hypersensitivity reaction to a taxane or capecitabine * No concurrent serious infection * No neuropathy grade 2 or greater * No other malignancy within the past 2 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix * No other severe or uncontrolled underlying medical disease that would preclude study participation * No psychiatric disorder that would preclude giving informed consent or study compliance PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * No concurrent anticancer biologic therapy Chemotherapy * Recovered from prior chemotherapy * No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * Recovered from prior radiotherapy * No concurrent anticancer radiotherapy * Concurrent localized radiotherapy to a non-indicator lesion for pain relief is allowed provided other methods of pain control are ineffective Surgery * At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered * No prior major surgery in the stomach or small intestine Other * At least 4 weeks since prior myelosuppressive therapy * More than 28 days since prior investigational drugs (including analgesics and/or antiemetics) * No other concurrent anticancer therapy * No other concurrent anticancer cytotoxic therapy