Lapatinib and Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed solid tumor, including the following tumor types: Breast cancer Non-small cell lung cancer Prostate cancer Bladder cancer Gastroesophageal junction cancer Ovarian cancer Germ cell tumor Advanced or metastatic disease No effective curative therapy exists Evaluable disease Measurable disease not required Bone-only disease allowed No progressing brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: ECOG performance status 0-2 Life expectancy > 3 months Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3 Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3 Bilirubin normal AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal Creatinine normal Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No serious intercurrent medical or psychiatric illness No serious active infection No gastrointestinal tract disease that would impair a patient's ability to take oral medication No history of significant cardiac disease, including any of the following: Congestive heart failure Symptomatic cardiac arrhythmias Unstable angina No pre-existing peripheral neuropathy ≥ 2 PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Any number of prior therapies allowed Prior paclitaxel, tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy, or endothelial growth factor inhibitors allowed At least 14 days since prior and no concurrent CYP3A4 inducers or herbal or dietary supplements At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent CYP3A4 inhibitors At least 6 months since prior and no concurrent amiodarone More than 1 month since prior chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy, or investigational anticancer agents Concurrent continued use of gonadal suppression agents (i.e., goserelin acetate or leuprolide acetate) allowed No antacids 1 hour before and after study drug administration No concurrent retinoids No concurrent hormonal anticancer agent No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy or investigational anticancer agents