Rebeccamycin Analogue in Treating Children With Solid Tumors or Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of rebeccamycin analogue in treating children who have solid tumors or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die.

OBJECTIVES:

I. Determine the response in children with solid tumors or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated with rebeccamycin analogue.

II. Determine and maintain a plasma concentration of at least 5 µg/mL of this drug in these patients.

III. Determine the toxicity of this drug in these patients. IV. Determine the pharmacokinetics of this drug in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.

Patients with solid tumors are stratified according to tumor histology (neuroblastoma vs Ewing's sarcoma \[closed to accrual as of 5/19/03\]/peripheral primative neuroectodermal tumor \[PNET\] vs osteosarcoma \[closed to accrual as of 5/19/03\] vs rhabdomyosarcoma vs non-Hodgkin's lymphoma vs other solid tumors). Patients with CNS tumors are stratified according to tumor histology (medulloblastoma/PNET vs ependymoma vs brainstem glioma vs other CNS tumors).

Patients receive rebeccamycin analogue IV over 1 hour on day 1. Treatment continues every 21 days for a total of 16 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Patients are followed monthly for 1 year, every 2 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 1 year, and then annually thereafter.

Eligibility Criteria:
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed solid tumors

  * Neuroblastoma
  * Ewing's sarcoma/peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)(Ewing's sarcoma closed to accrual as of 5/19/03)
  * Osteosarcoma (closed to accrual as of 5/19/03)
  * Rhabdomyosarcoma
  * Other extracranial solid tumors
  * CNS/brain tumors:

    * Medulloblastoma/PNET
    * Ependymoma
    * Brainstem glioma
    * Other CNS tumors
  * Histological verification may be waived for brainstem glioma and classic optic glioma, but biopsy recommended OR
* Histologically or cytologically proven non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

  * Refractory to standard treatment and no curative therapy available
* Measurable disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 21 and under at time of original diagnosis

Performance status:

* Karnofsky 50-100% in patients over 10 years of age
* Lansky 50-100% in patients age 10 and under

Life expectancy:

* At least 8 weeks

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count greater than 75,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin greater than 8.0 g/dL

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin normal for age
* SGPT less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal
* Amylase normal
* Lipase normal

Renal:

* Creatinine normal for age OR
* Glomerular filtration rate at least 60 mL/min

Other:

* No concurrent uncontrolled infection
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Recovered from prior immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

* At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosourea and recovered
* Recovered from any other prior chemotherapy
* No more than two prior chemotherapy regimens

Endocrine therapy:

* CNS tumor patients receiving dexamethasone must be on stable or decreasing dose at least 2 weeks prior to study entry

Radiotherapy:

* At least 6 weeks since prior extended radiotherapy and recovered
* No prior total body irradiation

Surgery:

* Prior radiosurgery allowed

Other:

* No concurrent use of the following foods or medications:

  * Grapefruit juice
  * Erythromycin
  * Azithromycin
  * Clarithromycin
  * Rifampin and analogues
  * Fluconazole
  * Ketoconazole
  * Itraconazole
  * Cimetidine
  * Cannabinoids (marijuana or dronabinol)
  * Leukotriene inhibitors (e.g., zafirlukast and zileuton)
* No other concurrent anticancer or investigational agents