Oblimersen and Gemcitabine in Treating Patients With Advanced Solid Tumor or Lymphoma

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed malignancy for which there is no standard or effective curative or palliative therapy * Solid tumors and lymphoma allowed * Metastatic or unresectable disease * Measurable or evaluable nonmeasurable disease * Evaluable nonmeasurable disease includes ascites, pleural/pericardial effusions, lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis, inflammatory breast disease, abdominal masses not followed by CT scan or MRI, or cystic lesions * Disease characterized by elevated serum tumor marker alone is allowed * No known brain metastases * Performance status - ECOG 0-2 * Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100% * More than 3 months * Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 * Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL * AST and ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal * No history of portal hypertension * No history of cirrhosis or hepatitis * No radiographic evidence of cirrhosis and/or varices * Creatinine normal * Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No cardiac arrhythmia * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No prior allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to oblimersen or other study agents * No other concurrent uncontrolled illness that would preclude study participation * No ongoing or active infection * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance * No concurrent prophylactic colony-stimulating factors such as filgrastim (G-CSF) or sargramostim (GM-CSF) * Concurrent interventional growth factors allowed * No growth factor administration within 24 hours before study chemotherapy * Concurrent epoetin alfa allowed * No more than 3 prior chemotherapy regimens * More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) * More than 2 weeks since prior hormonal therapy * Concurrent megestrol for anorexia/cachexia allowed * No prior pelvic or whole abdominal radiotherapy * More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy * More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery * Recovered from prior therapy * More than 4 weeks since prior investigational therapy * No prior oblimersen * No other concurrent investigational agents * No other concurrent anticancer therapy * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients