Alvocidib in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed solid tumor * Locally advanced or metastatic disease for which curative treatment does not exist or is no longer effective * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan * No previously irradiated\* measurable lesion unless lesion demonstrates progressive disease OR there are other measurable lesions outside the irradiated\* field * The following are not considered measurable disease: * Bone lesions * Leptomeningeal disease * Ascites * Pleural or pericardial effusion * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis * Abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques * Cystic lesions * No uncontrolled brain metastases * Performance status - ECOG 0-1 * At least 6 months * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia * No uncontrolled hypertension * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to flavopiridol * No ongoing or active infection * No uncontrolled illness * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance * More than 12 weeks since prior hepatic arterial chemoembolization * More than 4 weeks since prior systemic chemotherapy * No prior flavopiridol * See Disease Characteristics * More than 12 weeks since prior radioactive metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) * More than 4 weeks since prior external beam radiotherapy * Recovered from all prior tumor-specific therapy * More than 4 weeks since prior investigational tumor-specific therapy * Concurrent octreotide for control of carcinoid syndrome allowed * No concurrent combination anti-retroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * No other concurrent tumor-specific therapy * No other concurrent investigational therapy * No other concurrent anticancer therapy