Epoetin Alfa in Treating Anemia in Patients With Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of a nonmyeloid cancer (excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer) * Anemia secondary to cancer or cancer treatment\* * Hemoglobin less than 12 g/dL (males) * Hemoglobin less than 11 g/dL (females) NOTE: \*Active anticancer therapy is not required for study enrollment * Anemia must not be secondary to any of the following: * B\_12, folic acid, or iron deficiency * Ferritin must be normal or elevated * Gastrointestinal bleeding or hemolysis * Primary or chemotherapy-induced myelodysplastic syndromes * No untreated CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy * At least 6 months Cardiovascular * No history of uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmias * No history of deep venous thrombosis within the past year (unless on anticoagulation) * No uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure at least 180 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure at least 100 mm Hg) within the past year (unless on anticoagulation) Pulmonary * No history of pulmonary embolism within the past year (unless on anticoagulation) Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study participation * No known hypersensitivity to epoetin alfa, mammalian cell-derived products, or human albumin * No new onset of seizures within the past 3 months * No poorly controlled seizures * Able and willing to complete quality of life forms * Alert and mentally competent to give informed consent PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * More than 6 months since prior epoetin alfa * More than 6 months since any prior investigational forms of epoetin alfa (e.g., gene-activated epoetin alfa or novel erythropoiesis-stimulating protein) * No concurrent peripheral blood stem cell transplantation * No concurrent bone marrow transplantation Surgery * More than 14 days since prior major surgery Other * More than 2 weeks since prior red blood cell transfusions