Imetelstat Sodium in Treating Young Patients With Refractory or Recurrent Solid Tumors or Lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Diagnosis of refractory or recurrent solid tumors, including lymphoma

No CNS tumors or known CNS metastases (Part A, dose escalation)

CNS tumors or known CNS metastases allowed (Part B, maximum-tolerated dose or recommended phase II dose)

No prior or concurrent CNS hemorrhage on a baseline MRI within the past 14 days

All patients must have histologic verification of malignancy at original diagnosis or relapse except for:

Intrinsic brain stem tumors
Optic pathway gliomas
Pineal tumors and elevations of CSF or serum tumor markers including alpha-fetoprotein or beta-HCG
Measurable or evaluable disease
Disease for which there is no known curative therapy or therapy proven to prolong survival with an acceptable quality of life
Patients with known bone marrow metastatic disease will be eligible for study provided they meet the blood count criteria and they are not known to be refractory to red cell or platelet transfusions

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Karnofsky performance status (PS) 50-100% (patients > 16 years of age) OR Lansky PS 50-100% (patients ≤ 16 years of age)
ANC ≥ 1,000/mm³
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ (transfusion-independent, defined as not receiving platelet transfusion within the past 7 days prior to enrollment)

Creatinine clearance or radioisotope GFR ≥ 70 mL/min OR a serum creatinine based on age and/or gender as follows:

0.6 mg/dL (1 to < 2 years of age)
0.8 mg/dL (2 to < 6 years of age)
1.0 mg/dL (6 to < 10 years of age)
1.2 mg/dL (10 to < 13 years of age)
1.5 mg/dL (male) or 1.4 mg/dL (female) (13 to < 16 years of age)
1.7 mg/dL (male) or 1.4 mg/dL (female) (≥ 16 years of age)
Bilirubin (sum of conjugated and unconjugated) ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
ALT ≤ 110 U/L (ULN for ALT is 45 U/L)
Serum albumin ≥ 2 g/dL
aPTT < 1.2 times ULN
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use an effective contraception method
No uncontrolled infection
No patients who, in the opinion of the investigator, may not be able to comply with the safety monitoring requirements of the study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Recovered from acute toxic effects of all prior anti-cancer chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiotherapy
At least 3 weeks since prior myelosuppressive chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosourea)
At least 14 days since prior long-acting growth factor (e.g., Neulasta) or ≥ 7 days since prior short-acting growth factor
At least 7 days since prior biologic or anti-neoplastic agent
At least 6 weeks since any type of prior immunotherapy (e.g., tumor vaccines)
At least 3 half-lives since last dose of a monoclonal antibody

At least 2 weeks since prior local palliative radiotherapy (small port)

At least 24 weeks since prior total-body irradiation, craniospinal radiotherapy, or radiation to ≥ 50% of the pelvis
At least 6 weeks since prior substantial bone marrow radiation
At least 12 weeks since prior transplantation or stem cell infusion with no evidence of active graft vs host disease
Prior and concurrent stable or decreasing dose of corticosteroids within the past 7 days allowed
No prior allogeneic transplant
No other concurrent investigational drug
No other concurrent anticancer agents including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or biologic therapy
No concurrent cyclosporine, tacrolimus, or other agents to prevent either graft-versus-host disease post-bone marrow transplant or organ rejection post-transplant