PS-341 in Treating Patients With Advanced Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven advanced malignancy, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), for which there is no known standard therapy that is potentially curative or definitely capable of extending life expectancy Patients with B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders and a leukemic phase are eligible once the maximum tolerated dose is established NHL patients must meet the following conditions: No greater than 25% of bone marrow involved No symptomatic brain metastases Prior brain metastases allowed if definitively treated (radiotherapy and/or surgery) and stable for at least 8 weeks PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy: At least 12 weeks Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AST or ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver involvement) Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN Cardiovascular: No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease Other: No uncontrolled infection Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy or immunotherapy No concurrent immunotherapy Chemotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for mitomycin or nitrosoureas) and recovered No other concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics No prior radiotherapy to greater than 30% of bone marrow At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Other: No concurrent antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV positive patients