Monoclonal Antibody ABX-EGF in Treating Patients With Renal (Kidney), Prostate, Pancreatic, Non-Small Cell Lung, Colon or Rectal, Esophageal, or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following:

Renal cell cancer (RCC)

Prior nephrectomy required

Prostate cancer

Failed prior primary therapy (e.g., surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy)
Failed prior hormonal therapy (e.g., antiandrogen, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone inhibitor, or orchiectomy)

Pancreatic cancer

Failed at least 1 prior standard therapy regimen for unresectable metastatic disease

Non-small cell lung cancer

Failed at least 1 prior standard therapy regimen for unresectable metastatic disease

Colorectal cancer

Received 1 or more prior chemotherapy regimen(s) for advanced metastatic disease

Esophageal cancer

Failed prior primary therapy (e.g., surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy)
Gastroesophageal junction cancer
Evaluable disease

Epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression

Tumor tissue must yield the sum of 1+, 2+, or 3+ staining in at least 10% of evaluated tumor cells
No uncontrolled brain metastases
No evidence of disease progression or regression after a 30-day washout period

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

Karnofsky 70-100% OR
ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

Not specified

Hematopoietic:

Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,000/mm^3
Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

AST/ALT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (3 times ULN for liver metastases)
Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN (3 times ULN for liver metastases)

Renal:

Creatinine less than 2.2 mg/dL
NCI renal toxicity no greater than grade 2
No hypercalcemia (antihypercalcemic therapy allowed)

Cardiovascular:

Ejection fraction at least 45% by MUGA
No abnormal ECG or MUGA
No myocardial infarction within the past year

Pulmonary:

No abnormal chest x-ray
FEV_1 greater than 50% of predicted

Other:

No known allergy to ingredients of study drug
No known allergy to Staphylococcus aureus Protein A
HIV negative
No chronic medical or psychiatric condition that would preclude study compliance
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

At least 30 days since prior biologic therapy (e.g., antibodies, cytokines, or co-stimulatory pathway inhibitors)
No other concurrent biologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics
At least 6 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
No prior chemotherapy for RCC
No prior anthracyclines
No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

See Disease Characteristics
Concurrent steroids allowed
Concurrent hormonal therapy allowed

Radiotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics
No prior mediastinal radiotherapy
No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

See Disease Characteristics
Recovered from any recent prior surgery

Other:

At least 30 days since prior investigational drug or device
At least 30 days since prior systemic therapy
No other concurrent investigational drugs
No other concurrent systemic agents or cancer therapy