Perifosine in Treating Patients With Refractory Solid Tumors or Hematologic Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed solid tumor, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, or Hodgkin's lymphoma that has no effective standard therapeutic option but requires systemic therapy
• No history of CNS neoplasms
• For prostate cancer:
• * Tumor progression during blockade of testicular and adrenal androgens
• * At least 4 weeks since prior flutamide or other antiandrogens without disease improvement
• * Leuprolide or other gonadotropin-releasing hormones should be maintained in patients without an orchiectomy
• * Testosterone in the castrate range
• For breast cancer:
• * At least 4 weeks since any prior hormonal therapy with evidence of disease progression
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• Over 18
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• Platelet count greater than 50,000/mm\^3
• Absolute granulocyte count greater than 500/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2.5 times normal
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
• Cardiovascular:
• No history of unstable or newly diagnosed angina pectoris
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No New York Heart Association class II-IV heart disease
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• HIV negative
• No recent acute or chronic gastrointestinal conditions (e.g., stomach ulcer or enteritis) that might affect tolerability or drug absorption
• No allergic reaction to any medication with a structure similar to perifosine
• No pre-existing retinal disease or pathologic baseline electrooculogram
• No cataracts that would interfere with normal vision or require medical intervention
• No other serious concurrent illness that would preclude assessment of drug effect
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
• At least 2 months since prior UCN-01
• More than 3 months since prior suramin
• Endocrine therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No concurrent corticosteroids except for physiological replacement or as antiemetics
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy (6 weeks for bone-seeking radioisotopes) and recovered
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Other:
• No other concurrent antineoplastic therapies