Alanosine in Treating Patients With Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed malignancy of any of the following types: * Soft-tissue sarcoma * High grade * Chemotherapy naïve or progressive or metastatic after no more than 2 prior cytotoxic treatment regimens (not including adjuvant therapy) * Sarcoma of the bone (including osteosarcoma\* and chondrosarcoma) * High grade * Progressive or recurrent after no more than 2 prior cytotoxic treatment regimens * No newly diagnosed or chemotherapy naïve disease NOTE: \*Prior treatment with cisplatin and doxorubicin required * Mesothelioma * Unresectable * Chemotherapy naïve or progressive after no more than 1 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen * Not amenable to curative treatment with surgery * Evidence of gross unresectability includes, but is not limited to, direct extension into the chest wall, mediastinal or hilar lymphadenopathy, pulmonary or cardiac function that is inadequate to tolerate resection, and sarcomatoid or mixed histology * Non-small cell lung cancer * Stage III with malignant pleural or pericardial effusion, stage IV, or progressive after no more than 2 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens * No newly diagnosed or chemotherapy naïve disease * Pancreatic cancer * Stage IV adenocarcinoma after no more than 1 prior cytotoxic treatment regimen * No newly diagnosed or chemotherapy naïve disease * No Ewing's sarcoma of the soft tissue or bone * Documented a…