Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed progressive malignant disease that has failed at least 1
conventional treatment or is unlikely to respond to current therapy

- Measurable or evaluable disease

- Elevated serum tumor marker considered evaluable disease

- No known active CNS metastases

- Previously treated CNS metastases with no evidence of new CNS metastases allowed
if stable for at least 2 months

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 and over

Performance status:

- ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

- More than 3 months

Hematopoietic:

- WBC at least 3,000/mm^3

- Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL (transfusion allowed)

- No active bleeding or coagulation disorder (except occult blood related to
gastrointestinal cancer)

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL

- ALT and AST no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 5 times ULN

- PT and PTT no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

- No active heart disease

- No myocardial infarction within the past 3 months

- No symptomatic coronary artery disease

- No uncontrolled arrhythmias

- No uncontrolled congestive heart failure

Pulmonary:

- No moderate to severe compromise of pulmonary function

Other:

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No active infectious process

- No pre-existing severe hearing impairment

- No grade 2 or greater neuropathy

- No other life threatening illness

- No prior severe allergic reaction to cisplatin

- No mental deficits and/or psychiatric history that would preclude study

- No persistent chronic toxic effects from prior chemotherapy greater than grade 1

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- At least 2 weeks since prior biologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

- More than 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)
and recovered

- At least 3 months since prior cisplatin or platinum analogue

- No prior 3-AP

Endocrine therapy:

- At least 2 weeks since prior hormonal therapy

Radiotherapy:

- More than 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

- At least 3 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered

Other:

- No other concurrent investigational drugs

- No other concurrent nephrotoxic drugs (e.g., aminoglycoside antibiotics)