RATIONALE: VEGF Trap may stop the growth of solid tumors or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma by stopping blood flow to the cancer.

PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of VEGF Trap in treating patients who have relapsed or refractory solid tumors or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine the long-term safety and tolerability of VEGF Trap in patients with incurable relapsed or refractory solid tumors or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with stable or responding disease after receiving treatment on protocol MSKCC-01131.
• Determine the biological effect of this therapy on suppressing tumor growth or progression in these patients.
• Determine the steady state concentration of VEGF Trap over time in these patients.
• Determine whether patients develop antibodies to this therapy during extended exposure.

OUTLINE: This is an extension study for patients who showed evidence of stable disease or complete or partial remission after completing treatment on protocol MSKCC-01131.

Patients continue to receive VEGF Trap subcutaneously once weekly for up to an additional 6 months in the absence of unacceptable toxicity. Patients receive treatment at the same dose level as on protocol MSKCC-01131.

Patients are followed at approximately 30 days.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A maximum of 30 patients will be accrued for this study.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed incurable relapsed or refractory solid tumor or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that has been treated on MSKCC-01131

• Must have completed participation in protocol MSKCC-01131 through visit 16 and have shown evidence of stable disease or complete or partial remission of tumor burden and no evidence of symptomatic deterioration

  • No adverse event or toxicity which resulted in discontinuation of participation in protocol MSKCC-01131
  • If a patient experienced dose-limiting toxicity, then the patient must have demonstrated the ability to tolerate the same dose or a lower dose prior to entry in this study

• No known or suspected squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

• No prior or concurrent new neurological symptoms or CNS (brain or leptomeningeal) metastases during protocol MSKCC-01131

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 25 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• WBC at least 3,500/mm3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3
• Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL
• No severe or uncontrolled hematologic condition

Hepatic

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST and ALT no greater than 2 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN
• PT, PTT, and INR normal

Renal

• Creatinine no greater than ULN
• No 1+ or greater proteinuria
• No severe or uncontrolled renal condition

Cardiovascular

• No severe or uncontrolled cardiovascular condition

Pulmonary

• No severe or uncontrolled pulmonary condition

Other

• No prior hypersensitivity reactions to any recombinant proteins (e.g., VEGF Trap)
• No severe or uncontrolled gastrointestinal, immunological, or musculoskeletal condition
• No severe or uncontrolled psychiatric condition or adverse social circumstance that would preclude study
• No other condition that would preclude study
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective double-barrier contraception during and for at least 3 months after study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No concurrent epoetin alfa, filgrastim (G-CSF), or sargramostim (GM-CSF)
• No other concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

• No concurrent standard chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• No concurrent adrenal corticosteroids except low doses as replacement therapy in patients who have previously received suppressive doses or for adrenal insufficiency
• No concurrent systemic hormonal contraceptive agents

Radiotherapy

• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• At least 30 days since prior investigational therapy other than VEGF Trap
• No concurrent standard or other investigational anticancer agents
• No concurrent herbal supplements ("nutraceuticals")
• No concurrent anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs (e.g., warfarin, heparin, aspirin, or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) except selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors for analgesia
• No concurrent COX-2 inhibitors for tumor treatment or prophylaxis