S0716 Vandetanib and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced solid tumor, including, but not limited to the following: * Non-small cell lung cancer * Metastatic breast cancer * Hormone-refractory prostate cancer * Locally recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer (including thyroid origin) * Disease for which no standard therapy exists * Tumor amenable to biopsy * Measurable or non-measurable disease * Brain metastases allowed provided patient has undergone brain irradiation (whole brain or gamma knife) AND the metastases have been clinically and radiologically stable for ≥ 6 weeks after completion of irradiation * Patients requiring corticosteroids or anticonvulsants for brain metastases must be on a stable or decreasing dose of corticosteroids and seizure free for ≥ 28 days before study enrollment PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Zubrod performance status 0-1 * ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * SGOT or SGPT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN * PT/INR ≤ 1.1 times normal * Serum creatinine ≤ 1.8 times ULN OR measured or estimated creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 3 months after completion of study treatment * Willing to undergo two tumor biopsies and blood and tissue sample submission for correlative laboratory studies * No clinically significant cardiovascular event, including any of the following: * Myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular accident within the past 3 months * Unstable angina pectoris * NYHA class II-IV heart disease within the past 3 months * Symptomatic congestive heart failure * Serious cardiac arrhythmia * No history of cardiac disease that, in the investigator's opinion, increases the risk of ventricular arrhythmia * No history of arrhythmia that is symptomatic or requires treatment (CTCAE grade 3), including any of the following: * Multifocal premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) * Bigeminy or trigeminy * Ventricular tachycardia * Uncontrolled atrial fibrillation * Medically controlled atrial fibrillation allowed * No asymptomatic sustained ventricular tachycardia * No history of or evidence of any of the following on ECG: * History of QTc prolongation as a result from other medication that required discontinuation of that medication * Congenital long QT syndrome * First degree relative with unexplained sudden death under 40 years of age * Presence of left bundle branch block * QTc with Bazett's correction that is unmeasurable or ≥ 480 msec on screening ECG * No uncontrolled hypertension, defined as consistent systolic BP \> 160 mm Hg or consistent diastolic BP \> 100 mm Hg despite medical management * No intractable nausea or vomiting * No concurrent active diarrhea that may affect the ability to absorb or tolerate vandetanib * No gastrointestinal (GI) tract disease resulting in malabsorption syndrome or a requirement for IV alimentation * No uncontrolled inflammatory GI disease (e.g., Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis) * No history of allergic reactions attributed to docetaxel or compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to vandetanib, including other quinazoline compounds (e.g., gefitinib or erlotinib) * No history of deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism requiring therapeutic anticoagulation * No known HIV positivity * No other concurrent uncontrolled illness, including, but not limited to the following: * Ongoing or serious active infection * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study requirements * Prior or concurrent malignancies of other histologies within the past 5 years allowed PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * Recovered from prior therapy (i.e., ≤ grade 2 alopecia and ≤ grade 1 toxicity from all other adverse events) * Prior docetaxel as monotherapy or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents allowed provided there is potential clinical benefit present, in the investigator's opinion, from the combination of docetaxel and vandetanib * No prior vandetanib * No prior surgical procedures affecting absorption * More than 14 days since prior drugs with a short half-life (e.g., sorafenib or sunitinib) (approval by study coordinator required) * More than 28 days since prior major surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy * More than 28 days since prior investigational agents * More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent medications associated with a risk of causing Torsades de Pointes * No concurrent therapeutic anticoagulation (coumadin, warfarin, or low-molecular weight heparin) * Low-dose anticoagulation for indwelling catheter maintenance allowed * No concurrent medication that may cause QTc prolongation * No other concurrent chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or any other type of therapy for the treatment of cancer, except for the following: * Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists * Bisphosphonates