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