Riluzole and Sorafenib Tosylate in Treating Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors or Melanoma

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients must have histologically proven solid tumors (Phase I) with biopsiable tumor (expansion cohort) refractory to standard therapy or for whom no standard therapy exists or who decline standard therapy
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status =< 2
Patients must be willing and able to sign informed consent
Unlimited prior therapies are permitted for patients enrolled in the dose escalation phase of the study; patients in the expansion cohort of the study may not have any prior therapy with riluzole or sorafenib and must have biopsiable tumor
Patients may have measurable or evaluable disease
Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1,500/uL
Platelets >= 100,000/uL
Total bilirubin =< 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT]) =< 2.5 x institutional ULN
International normalized ratio (INR) =< 1.5 x institutional ULN
Creatinine =< 2 x ULN
Patients with brain lesions that have been treated with whole brain radiotherapy and are clinically stable for at least 4 weeks, are not taking steroids and are not receiving enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants will be eligible

Exclusion Criteria:

Serious concomitant systemic disorders (including active infections) that would compromise the safety of the patient or compromise the patient's ability to complete the study, at the discretion of the investigator
For patients who have received gamma knife or stereotactic radiosurgery, a 2 week washout is required; patients who have had other types of radiotherapy, chemotherapy or biologic agents within 3 weeks (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) prior to entering the study or those who have not recovered from adverse events due to agents administered more than 3 weeks earlier to =< grade 1; at least 4 weeks must have elapsed since any major surgery; patients with prostate cancer may continue to receive hormonal therapy
History of allergic reactions attributed to riluzole or sorafenib
Women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal, barrier method of birth control, abstinence) prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation, and for 2 weeks after discontinuation of riluzole and/or sorafenib; should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately; pregnant (positive pregnancy test) or lactating patients cannot participate
Known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or known history of active hepatitis B or C infection
Current, recent (within 4 weeks of the first treatment of this study), or planned participation in an experimental drug study (prevention trials are permitted if the trial is not testing a novel experimental agent)
Cardiac disease: congestive heart failure > class II New York Heart Association (NYHA); patients must not have unstable angina (anginal symptoms at rest) or new onset angina (began within the last 3 months) or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
History of stroke within six months
Clinically significant peripheral vascular disease
Cardiac ventricular arrhythmias requiring anti-arrhythmic therapy
Uncontrolled hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure > 150 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure > 90 mm Hg, despite optimal medical management
Active clinically serious infection > Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) grade 2
Any of the following within 6 months prior to first dose of treatment: myocardial infarction, symptomatic coronary artery disease (severe or unstable angina), artery bypass graft, uncontrolled arrhythmias, symptomatic congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attack, or pulmonary embolus
Pulmonary hemorrhage/bleeding event >= CTCAE grade 2 within 4 weeks of first-dose of study drug
Any other hemorrhage/bleeding event >= CTCAE grade 3 within 4 weeks of first dose of study drug
Evidence or history of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy
Major surgery or significant traumatic injury within 4 weeks of first study drug
The eligibility of patients taking medications that are potent modulators of cytochrome P450, family 3, subfamily A, polypeptide 4 (CYP3A4), cytochrome P450, family 2, subfamily B, polypeptide 6 (CYP2B6), subfamily 2, polypeptide 8 (2C8) will be determined following a review of their case by the principal investigator; every effort should be made to switch patients taking such agents or substances to other medications
Any condition that impairs the patient's ability to swallow whole pills
Any malabsorption problem
Anticipation of need for major surgical procedure during the course of the study
History of abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within 6 months prior to day 1 of treatment
Serious, non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
Inability to comply with study and/or follow-up procedures
Anticoagulation with Lovenox (enoxaparin) is permitted, however, patients on anticoagulation with warfarin are not permitted on this study