SB939 in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Inclusion criteria: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic solid tumor * Refractory to standard therapy or for which conventional therapy is not reliably effective Exclusion criteria: * Patients with documented CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Inclusion criteria: * ECOG performance status of 0, 1, or 2 * Must have a life expectancy of ≥ 12 weeks * Granulocytes (AGC) ≥ 1.5 x 10\^9/L * Platelets ≥ 100 x 10\^9/L * Bilirubin ≤ upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 x ULN (\< 5 x ULN if liver metastases are present) * Serum creatinine ≤ 1.2 x ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * QTc ≤ 450 msec * LVEF ≥ 50% by ECHO or MUGA * Troponin I or T ≤ ULN * Must be within 1½ hour's driving distance Exclusion criteria: * Pathologic cardiac arrhythmia requiring active treatment * Patients with a history of arrhythmia must be \> 12 months since last treatment with no recurrence of arrhythmia in the interval * Inability to take oral medication * Patients must be able to swallow SB939 capsules and have no gastrointestinal abnormalities (e.g., bowel obstruction or previous gastric resection) which would lead to inadequate absorption of SB939 * Pregnant or lactating women * Urine or serum B-HCG must be negative * Women or men of child-bearing potential unless using effective contraception * Presence of any clinically significant co-morbidities (i.e., pulmonary disease, active CNS disease, or active infection) * Presence of any other significant CNS disorder that would hamper the patient's compliance * Presence of any significant psychiatric disorder that would hamper the patient's compliance * Other acute or chronic medical condition, psychiatric condition, or laboratory abnormality that may increase the risks associated with study participation/study drug administration or may interfere with the interpretation of study results * Pre-existing peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 * Known HIV or hepatitis B or C infection PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Inclusion criteria: * Previous anticancer treatment must be discontinued at least 28 days prior to the first dose of study treatment (42 days \[6 weeks\] for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) * At least 28 days since prior radiation therapy restricted to ≤ 30% of the bone marrow and recovered from toxic effects * Exceptions may be made for low-dose nonmyelosuppressive radiotherapy * Must be ≥ 14 days since any major surgery * Pre-existing bisphosphonate or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analog therapy (for men with hormone refractory prostate cancer) may be continued during study participation Exclusion criteria: * Previous treatment with a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor * Treatment with another investigational therapy within 28 days prior to study entry * Other concurrent anticancer treatment or investigational therapy * Concurrent agents with a known risk of Torsade de Pointes * Concurrent G-CSF, GM-CSF, or other hematopoietic growth factors may not be used as a substitute for a scheduled dose reduction (may be used in the management of acute toxicity)