RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die.

PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of paclitaxel in treating women who have recurrent solid tumors.

OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the relationships between body surface area (BSA) and toxic effects, BSA and pharmacokinetics, and pharmacokinetics and toxic effects in women with recurrent solid tumors who receive a fixed total dose of paclitaxel. II. Determine the toxic effects of paclitaxel in these patients. III. Assess the pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel in these patients.

OUTLINE: Patients receive single fixed dose intravenous paclitaxel over 3 hours on day 1. Blood samples must be drawn prior to the first paclitaxel infusion and then at 1, 6, and 24 hours after the start of the infusion during course 1 only. Treatment courses of intravenous paclitaxel are repeated every 3 weeks at the discretion of the treating physician. Patients are evaluated for response after the second course. Patients are followed at the discretion of the physician.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 50 patients will be accrued over 13 months.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven recurrent adult solid tumors Must have measurable or evaluable disease No known bone marrow metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Sex: Women Performance Status: Zubrod 0-2 Life Expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL SGOT less than 2.0 times upper limit of normal Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal Other: Concurrently active secondary malignancies are allowed

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No prior paclitaxel therapy No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for metastatic disease At least 4 weeks since chemotherapy Greater than 6 weeks since nitrosoureas, melphalan, or mitomycin Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: At least 4 weeks since radiotherapy No prior whole pelvic radiation Surgery: At least 4 weeks since major surgery